1 in 3 Campaign - 1 in 3 women will have an abortion in her lifetime. These are our stories.

A Project of Advocates for Youth

The 2016 1 in 3 Abortion Speakout

Adele Hampton for the 1 in 3 Campaign

Bring 1 in 3 to your campus! Download the 1 in 3 Toolkit!

I was 19 years old. Second year of College. A lifetime of goals and dreams ahead. I became pregnant by my boyfriend of 5 years. … read more >

Gabriela

I was in my early 20's. In love but I knew he was abusive and cruel. He had a little girl he never went to see. I did exactly what my heart said no to do but my mind said I must do. I had an abortion. … read more >

Wendy

I had an abortion over 30 years ago. It was not a big deal, it was not at Planned Parenthood with screaming protesters...and it was so long ago I don't remember all the details. … read more >

Susan

I had my first and only abortion at a Planned Parenthood center in April of 2013. Protesters stood outside, calling me a "young mother" and asking me not to do it. I was 22, scared, and miserable. … read more >

Mary

I am 29. I found out that I was pregnant after I felt my breasts felt sore and I had nausea. I went to the doctor immediately. … read more >

Nala

I feel the details are not important; I am one of many-- if we were just honest with each other. But, I'd like to say that when the actual day arrived of the abortion, it was more medical than we let the media tell us it is. If congress would let us direct our medical care with our doctor, the world would be a more compassionate place-- in all stages of life. … read more >

Margaret

I'm 24 and happily engaged. My partner and I always relied on withdrawal, which worked for many years, so I was (maybe stupidly) surprised when I found out I was pregnant. I decided abortion was my best option because I make very little money and live ~800 miles away from my partner/family right now. I went to Planned Parenthood on Dec 6th, 2015 (I was ~6 weeks by this time), and the experience was as pleasant as it gets because of the lovely staff. … read more >

Anonymous

It is very hard to write my story because I have to get over the shame I feel for my past situation that resulted in an unplanned pregnancy. Along the years I tried to speak about it to a few people, but I ended up telling half-truths and what I thought at the time were lies. … read more >

Yael

I wasn't raped; I wasn't a victim of incest. I was simply young, and careless, and in a very, very bad place in my life. I didn't know where I'd be living in a month, or when I'd be able to get a good and filling meal. I couldn't go home to my parents, but being a young pretty girl, I could get as much alcohol and as many drugs as I wanted for free. This made the uncertainty of where I was living or when I was eating a little less horrible. But I was full of so much pain, and so much anger, that I was incapable of behaving in a way that allowed me to keep a job or a living situation for more than a few months. … read more >

Jenny

I was 19 years old. I had medical issues for thyroid problem and had heavy treatment before surgery. I found out I was pregnant and chances were high that I would have issues if I tried to have a baby and the baby might have issues. … read more >

Anonymous

I want to add my voice in support of everyone who has shared their story here on a public forum or has a story they keep silently in their heart. I do not regret choosing to have an abortion. For a few months afterward, I felt a mixture of incredible relief, clarity, pride, shame and sadness. It's now been just over a year since I had the abortion. … read more >

Leah

I had been on and off with the same guy for 3 years, my family all hated him but I thought I was in love. Things changed when I found out I was pregnant, I was reassured by a friend that the worst was over and it was time to deal with it and tell him. When I sat him down and showed him the pregnancy test he told me all of the most terrible things that have happened to him in his life. When he finished he told me that THIS was the absolute worst, I was ruining his life. I took two weeks to think about what I wanted instead of what he wanted, I decided that being tied to a person who treated me so terribly wasn't what I wanted. … read more >

Anonymous

I was 16 and had a newborn baby girl. Times were hard. Had abortion in Mexico, it was 1986. … read more >

Mary

I wrote the date on the whiteboard in preparation for my high school English class. That's when I realized I had missed my period and not noticed. I knew immediately I was pregnant. I'd never missed a period before. I'd been on and off in a relationship with a man-child who was mentally ill. My self esteem was at an all-time low and I was lonely. … read more >

Anonymous

I am one month away from my 40th birthday. I am a single mom of 2 boys that I have shared custody with their father. I found out i was pregnant after I had been seeing someone for a couple months before he moved back to South America. He was still in college and living with his parents and was on a work abroad program. I ended up miscarrying in the first trimester and was devastated because I have 2 healthy kids whom I love. A couple months after the miscarriage, I travelled to Chile to see my boyfriend and while drinking wine and being careless and subconciously both wanting another child because of all the grief we felt from the miscarriage, I conceived again. … read more >

Anonymous

I am 23 years old. I am a first generation college student from a single migrant parent household. I made it to a prestigious 4 year university and in October, my last semester, I got pregnant. I had dropped out of school for a year due to depression and made my comeback this year and with only weeks left of school, I got pregnant. … read more >

Anonymous

I was 22, starting a teaching career, and dating a new guy. I had an IUD, and when I found out it was placed incorrectly and I was pregnant, I knew I didn't want a child because 1) I couldn't financially support a child … read more >

Alana

I was 27, engaged, about to graduate law school, and suddenly pregnant. I did want to be a mom -- but in five years or so. The actual abortion was quick, easy and a relief, and the hardest part was all the absurd legal hoops Ohio makes women go through for a simple and safe process. I've never once regretted it.

Kelly

I was 27 when I had my abortion. I was a single parent, working two jobs and attending university full-time. I had spent the two years since my son's birth scrambling to assemble a decent life for us. A second child would have crushed me financially. … read more >

Anonymous

I don't regret it. I knew this is what I would decide if I had to make the decision. He was an ex-boyfriend. We lived halfway across the country from each other. I was going to start graduate school in the fall. My only decisions were where to go and which type of procedure to choose. Still, it was an incredible feeling. From my journal, a few days before the procedure: "You just never picture this happening. And as much as I've always know that I would get an abortion if this happened, it's still scary, and sad, and serious. … read more >

Anonymous

I would like to start off by sharing how I got pregnant as it makes me better about what I've done. I was going into see my Nurse Practitioner about an IUD when I found out I was 11 weeks pregnant. I was hysterical as I had already taken a pregnancy test (negative) four weeks prior, on the Nuva Ring and my boyfriend always uses the "pull out method." Therefore, you can imagine our surprise. … read more >

Allie

I am 24 and hold a bachelors and masters. I am in my first year of teaching and have dated a wonderful man for 2.5 years. I felt different and couldn't remember the last time I had my period, so I took a pregnancy test. It turned positive so quickly- I panicked. Immediately, I called my boyfriend and we went to Planned Parenthood together to confirm. … read more >

Anonymous

My Abortion Story. A husband’s view. It was Saturday morning and she said the words I’d been waiting years to hear. Yet she couldn’t hide her fear and despair. With the words came tears and a crushing blow to us both. I want to be a father and she’d be an amazing mom but she doesn’t see that now. … read more >

Anonymous

I am Australian but found out I was 6 wks pregnant whilst far from home, traveling and working in Venezuela with my then-partner. My initial reaction was one of panic, and then of determination to do whatever it took to end the pregnancy- I knew suddenly and without a doubt that I was not ready to have a child and that I did not want to be with the person I was with in a long-term sense. … read more >

Britt

In Feburary of this year (2015) I found out I was pregnant. I went to my OBGYN to have an ultrasound for my ovarian cyst and instead came out with an ultrasound picture of a child in my womb. The moment i found out I was pregnant I instantly started hysterically crying. I was devastated. I knew I couldn't have the baby even though in my heart I wanted to so badly. … read more >

Anonymous

My IUD abandoned me last summer. It left me. It made its getaway right under my nose, probably during a period, when I was using the menstrual cup. … read more >

Anna

I was only 13 when my uncle was living with us. He said he wanted to play hide and go seek when he came into my room. I didn't fully understand what he meant back then but he would hide under my covers while touching me in places I didn't want to be touched. … read more >

Anonymous

I was in a bad place and having an affair with an older man, a previous manager of mine. The affair went on for a few months. My roommate brought up to me that I haven't had my period in a while, I hadn't even noticed. We went out and bought a pregnancy test. We discovered I was pregnant, 5 weeks along. I was 19 and I had never been so afraid. … read more >

Erin

stacy

Stacy

I had just ended my 3 year relationship with my highschool sweetheart. I thought I would be marrying this guy and when I met the man I was pregnant with I thought I was escaping my problems. I thought it was just going to be a fling. I knew he was married but he said it was a forced marriage because his wife had become pregnant and he was going to divorce her. Time passed and I notice it was all a lie we were always secretive about us and will only see each other when it was convenient for him. … read more >

Anonymous

In 1971 abortion had just become an available procedure in some states. There were many rules and regulations surrounding it. In North Carolina, one had to be cleared by a mental therapist, have the procedure performed in a hospital, and have the OK by a spouse if one existed. I had an abortion in February 1971. … read more >

Anonymous

I am a mother of 3 and 21 years old. I had a failed marriage and things have been hard since then. I am currently in a relationship and we have a 8 month old together. I found out I was pregnant 3 weeks ago and I was shocked. … read more >

Anonymous

I was 22, engaged to someone that had no intention of ever marrying me, had me engaging in sexual acts with other women for him so he was able to sleep with them as well, cheated on me and treated me like a dog. He was an alcoholic drug addict and had me doing whatever he wanted. I had no idea of who I was or what I was even doing half the time. I found out I was pregnant, and knew at that moment I was going to have an abortion. … read more >

Anonymous

On Sept 30, 2015 I found out I was pregnant. It was a very much a shocker because I had been having my period for the last the two months. … read more >

Anonymous

I was 17 at the time and my birthday was a month away when I found out that I was pregnant. Me and my boyfriend had been together for a little over a year so he tried to be there for me. As soon as we found out we didn't even have the discussion we knew what we had to do next. … read more >

Cole

This past spring, my sophomore year in college I missed my period during finals week. Decided that I was stressed out and that's the reason why, until the next month when I missed it yet again. I took a pregnancy test and waited anxiously an hour for my boyfriend to get home from work. Luckily we were able to talk it through and decided that scheduling an abortion with planned parenthood for the next week would be the best choice for us. I took a few days off work in order to have a "medical" abortion which consisted of an in clinic vaginal ultrasound and taking a few pills, then taking a few more pills at the same time the next day at home. I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend holding my has through the whole process in the doctors, at home when the cramps and bleeding began and at my follow up appointment. The people at planned parenthood were amazing and made me feel at peace with me decision, there was no judgement but helpful information shared. I was asked repeatedly is I was comfortable and if I had any questions. During the abortion at home I took the pain pills every few hours as prescribed and my boyfriend bought me a heating pad which helped tremendously. I am so blessed to have his support and would tell anyone seeking and abortion so reach out to a loved one who would support them through the process. It is heartbreaking at times but I had to decide what was right for me at this time in my life. I cannot wait to provide for a child when I have the education and career that I hope to obtain.

Anonymous

`The minute I had my daughter, I knew that the two abortions I had had previously (1 at age 17, 1 at age 26) were absolutely the right choice for me. I could never have the family I have now if it weren't for safe abortions when birth control failed me. … read more >`

Kate

`I was drunk with a group of who I thought were my friends. I followed him to the room to talk, and things went further than I wanted. I asked him to stop, and he did after the second time. I found out I was pregnant after moving to Alaska to be with my boyfriend. … read more >`

Sierra

`I had my first abortion when I was 16 after getting involved with a divorced neighbor I had babysat for who was 16 years older than me. I had low self-esteem, was looking for someone to love me, and had difficulty saying no. … read more >`

Anonymous

`I had an abortion when I was 18. The man who would later become my husband and I had gotten pregnant. We were young and not always as careful as we should have been. He at the time was just starting to heal after dealing with a year of severe depression, psychosis, and a failed attempt at suicide. … read more >`

Marisa


Amanda


Krista

`In pre-Roe 1965, I was 19 years old, a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara, and had a responsible, steady boyfriend. But, I knew I was not mature enough for marriage, let alone rearing a child alone and supporting him or her without my college degree. … read more >`

Anne Hopkins

`I was an adult, married woman of 25. We had just had a baby. This baby was not growing and was hospitalized at 3 months. As I was breastfeeding I received extensive testing and even x-rays to determine if I had any health issue that could be effecting the breast milk. Immediately after this I found out I was pregnant. … read more >`

Kristine

`The first 16 years of my life were something out of a Lifetime Channel movie; alcoholic, misogynist, abusive stepfather, enabling and psychologically damaged mother, and a spoiled, bratty, but obedient younger sister. … read more >`

Rachel

`I am about to turn 29 in about a month. This is my 3rd pregnancy, but no children. I had been in a relationship with my on-again, off-again boyfriend when I got pregnant about 4 years ago. I found out I was pregnant after I had severe cramps. … read more >`

Anonymous

`On February 3, 2015, I had an abortion. Almost five years ago, after three 1st trimester miscarriages, I was diagnosed with thrombophilia. MTHFR Factor V Leiden. It’s a genetic mutation that causes blood clots and miscarriages, among other complications. … read more >`

Elianna

`I didn't even know I was pregnant till I was five months along. I had sex exactly once and I was that clueless ( and anorexic). I was a frightened, timid, terrified teen...pregnant with a sweet flamingly gay guy... Doing that thing queer teens sometimes do "maybe if I have sex with my best friend it means I'm straight". I was a horrifically abused child and somehow had the wherewithal to know I might continue that pattern. Suicide was an option I very seriously considered. … read more >`

Dana

`I got pregnant when I was 19. I thought I was sterile. Just low self esteem. Told my boy friend I was on birth control. When I got pregnant he thought I was trying to trap him. I was immature and bringing a child into the world would have be selfish and a disaster for me as well. … read more >`

Anonymous

`I am 19 yrs old and I just had my abortion about a month ago. I found out I was pregnant after my periods were late by 7 days and I decided to take a home pregnancy test which was positive. … read more >`

Anonymous

`I was 25 and newly engaged. I'd been divorced from my four-year old daughter's abusive father for 2 years. My daughter was already dealing with so much change in her life. I was also wary of feeling like I had to go through with a marriage just because I was pregnant, as I had the first time. … read more >`

Leilani

`I had an abortion when I was a freshman in college and was in my first sexual relationship. We didn't use birth control and just thought if we were "careful" there was nothing to worry about. When I found out I was pregnant and that I could obtain an abortion, I was filled with gratitude and relief that I had a choice NOT to be pregnant. … read more >`

Anonymous

`I had an abortion last fall, at age 22. I had just moved across the country following my graduation and was working long hours at low pay to gain clinical experience in hopes of getting into medical school. It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through, but it was the right choice for me and it does get easier with time. … read more >`

Anonymous

`In Feb 2014, my husband was diagnosed with cancer. We got pregnant the night before he started chemo and hadn't had sex until after he completed chemo. However, during the diagnostic phase he and I were exposed to radiation. Six weeks after we started chemo, we found out that I was pregnant. … read more >`

Anonymous

`I was 20 when I had my abortion. It was a three day surgical abortion. I was 17 weeks and didn't have enough money to pay for it until that happened I honestly thought I was about 10 because my periods have always been a little shotty. I was really upset about it for a long time and thought about suicide and I was scared about what people would think. My boyfriend and I were together for almost a year at that point … read more >`

Anonymous

`When I was 25, 5 years ago, I was with a man that I thought was the one. We had been together for 7 years at that point, living together, everything except marriage. He was an atheist, so his opinion of marriage was- why do something in the eyes of God? We had talked about having kids, buying a house, going back to school. Now I know that he was just playing house, leading me along. Every year he wormed a new rule on me, became more controlling. … read more >`

Leah

I was 18 years old. I struggled with depression afterwards, and was tormented by the posts of pro-life and general public opinions. At age 20 I found out someone who went to my school had told a large portion of people I knew about it. I was upset and ashamed to find out that something so personal had become the subject of trivial gossip. I avoided people at all costs for a while, until I opened up about it to my now fiance and friends. They were supportive and kind, and I learned that this decision was no one else's but mine, no matter how many other opinions others had. Today, I found this website thanks to the hashtag #shoutyourabortion and after seeing the stories shared I not only stand by my choice but now know I am not alone.

Anonymous

`When I was 17 I found out I was pregnant after missing 2 periods. It wasn't too big of a surprise since we didn't use protection but I was new to sex and trusted my boyfriend that we wouldn't get pregnant. My boyfriend at the time was a heroin addict and I was barely out of high school. … read more >`

Melissa

`I was 25 and had finally, after 10 years, worked my way up to a position I was happy with in my industry. I had been working 14+ hour days for so long that I often forgot to eat, so the moment I realized I couldn't remember my last period or the last time I had received my birth control shot, I immediately panicked. … read more >`

Kristin

1
2
3
4
…
17
Next »



SITEMAP
About
Share Your Story
Resources

	Multimedia Resources
	Abortion Information & Resources
	Abortion Policy Info
	Attacks on Abortion Rights
	Bringing the Campaign to Your Campus


Stories

	Written Stories
	Videos
	Buy the Book
	Audio Stories


Play
tumblr
Contact
Donate
English
Español
			1 in 3 women will have an abortion in her lifetime.  - Guttmacher Institute | The 1 in 3 Campaign is a project of Advocates for Youth | Contact Us
The 1 in 3 Campaign is a 501c3 Nonprofit FID#52-1173590