Finding I was pregnant scared me a lot, I was in denial but soon came to terms with it
I had a medical abortion 3 days ago. I am only 17, in college, and finding out I was pregnant scared me a lot. At first, I was in denial because it was a cheap pregnancy test my friend had got me, but I soon came to terms with it.
My boyfriend and I discussed what we would do. We have an amazing relationship and we wanted to keep it because we both love children, but we knew we couldn't. I wanted to finish college and we'd never be able to financially support a child. Also, my mother told me a few months ago if I ever got pregnant she'd kick me out.
So we decided on abortion.
[If you're looking for accounts of different types of abortion or specifically abortion at 6 weeks, check the links on this page]
My boyfriend wanted me to have a surgical abortion[1] because it would be a painless procedure and done quickly, but I wanted medical[2] because it would be within my own home, and the only clinic that offered the surgical procedure was too far away.
Once we made the appointment and had gone to the clinic I felt a little better.
I had an assessment and I was 6 weeks pregnant. I took the first pill then and there and went home feeling fine.
The next day I went back to the clinic and took the next set of pills, sometimes the second pill/s are inserted vaginally but at my clinic it was oral. I had to keep 4 pills under my upper lip for 30 minutes and then swallow.
My boyfriend drove me home and he left me because he had plans. I was rather upset he left me to face this all on my own because I couldn't talk to anyone. When the pain started it was like a normal period pains.
Within half an hour I was in utter agony, and this lasted for around 2-3 hours
But I put a hot water bottle on my stomach which eased the pain greatly. Once the pain was over bleeding started it wasn't too bad just like having a heavy period.
When my boyfriend came over I told him how I had needed him and he felt really bad and stayed round that night to make sure I was okay.
The next day I was fine and the day after I started feeling some lower abdominal pain, so today I am going to the doctors for fear of infection. But in all the chaos I hadn't had a chance to reflect on what happened, and I broke into tears and me and my boyfriend lay crying for hours.
We wished we didn't have to have got rid of our child
I think this will always be with us and it will always make me wonder if I could've done it but I do not regret my decision.
If you are considering medical abortion, it is a longer process than surgical, much more painful but some clinics let you go home. The pain I experienced was eased with a hot water bottle and once passed it was fine.
I would advise not to be alone whilst going through this I was a wreck because of being alone. I needed someone with me to look after me.
Terms mentioned in this story
Please note, sources will open in a new tab/window and take you away from the Pregnancy Choices Directory website.
- Surgical Abortion
Surgical abortion is a medical procedure to remove the pregnancy from the womb.
There are three ways in which a woman may undergo the procedure:
Local anaesthetic (awake but things are numbed)
Conscious sedation (awake but relaxed due to having been given a sedative)
General anaesthetic (completely asleep).
There are also two methods of carrying out a surgical abortion depending on the stage of pregnancy:
Vacuum or suction aspiration where a tube is inserted through the entrance to the womb (the cervix) and on into the womb. The pregnancy is then removed through the tube using suction.
Dilation and evacuation (D&E) where special instruments called forceps are inserted through the cervix and into the womb to remove the pregnancy.
Sources: - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/abortion/what-happens/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/surgical-abortion
- Medical Abortion
Medical abortion refers to the taking of medication to end a pregnancy and usually takes place over two stages. The first stage is where a medicine called mifepristone stops a hormone that allows the pregnancy to continue. The second stage, usually 24-48 hours later, is where a second medicine, called misoprostol, is used to cause the lining of the womb to break down causing bleeding and the loss of the pregnancy.
Medical abortion doesn't require surgery but sometimes not all of the tissue is passed and may require a small surgical procedure to remove further remnants of pregnancy tissue.
Sources: