I'm 18 and had a late medical abortion at 13 weeks of pregnancy just over 4 months ago

I'm 18 and had a late medical abortion just over 4 months ago. I found out I was pregnant at 13 weeks pregnant I didn't know what to do, what to think, I was missing periods but I was convincing myself I was not pregnant as I was only 18 and was not ready for a baby [other experiences of medical abortion and abortion at 13 weeks].

I was so scared and kept convincing myself that I was not pregnant that's why I left it so long which I should never have done. (If you do think you are pregnant and you're not ready for it go to the hospital asap the earlier the better).

I took a cheap pregnancy test and found out I was actually pregnant I just burst with tears and cried for hours on end thinking there is a little baby growing inside of my stomach. I told my boyfriend straight away he said it was my choice whatever I would do he was be next to me.

I felt like the world was completely on top of me, I didn't tell any of family as my family kept telling me, 'if you get pregnant don't come to us we won't want anything to do with it'. That kept going through my mind thinking if I kept it they would kick me out and wouldn't want anything to do with me. I cried and cried I just couldn't stop thinking about it.

A couple of days later I went to family planning at the hospital by myself and told the nurse everything and she said I would have a phone call in about a week to go ahead with the abortion.

2 weeks later I had a phone call saying that I had an appointment the following Monday. I went to the appointment on my own as I still hadn't told any of my family, only me and my boyfriend knew. They gave me a scan to find out how many weeks I was, and found out I was actually 13 weeks pregnant I just couldn't believe how long I had actually left it.

They gave me another appointment a couple days later for the first set of tablets. After that they told me to come into the hospital on Saturday and to pack a bag just in case you have to stay in overnight. I was so scared thinking what am I going to tell my mother as an excuse I just didn't know what to do, so I had my boyfriend to stay at my house on the Friday and we both went to the hospital on the Saturday.

Saturday morning I phoned the hospital to see if there was a bed available as I was told to phone them at 8am, there was a bed available so me and my boyfriend walked to the hospital.

I packed a bag with 2 pjs, couple packs of pads and extra underwear. And also sweets and drinks as I was told I would be given food in the hospital.

We got to the hospital and I was actually given my own room with a toilet, bathroom and tv, the nurses were lovely and that made me feel better as I was petrified.

The nurses inserted 2 tablets into my vagina first and they said I would take another set of tablets a couple of hours later through the mouth.

After that me and my boyfriend just sat around watching tv, a couple hours later the nurses came and gave me the next set.

A few hours after that I started to have stomach pains for the next couple of hours ( Be prepared for the pain) I had never been in so much pain in my life with my stomach. I was crying and crying I even pulled my boyfriend's hair. I squeezed his hand, pulled his t shirt, nothing could stop the pain. The nurses gave me paracetamol that did not work.

I had started bleeding so I was back and forth to the toilet changing my pad and also they give you bed pans so every time you go you have to wee in the bed pan and the nurse comes and takes it straight away.

I was in agony then I started to feel sick. I went to the toilet and threw up everything I had eaten, I couldn't stop throwing up, then I was only drinking pop I was even throwing that up then I just drunk water and I was being sick and it was only water coming up. I had never been sick that much before.

It was around 8 o'clock and still I hadn't passed anything and I did not want to stay in overnight.
I was in constant pain I couldn't eat anything, the only thing I felt like was drinking freezing cold water.

I sent my boyfriend to get the nurse as I couldn't bear the pain anymore. She gave me an injection in my bum cheek that helped A LOT, a minutes after that I went to the toilet and this little thing was hanging from me. I didn't know what to do I just sat on the toilet and grabbed a little bit of tissue and pulled the cord and it snapped.

I just couldn't help but look at this tiny little baby smaller than my hand

I quickly pressed the button and the nurse came I didn't feel any pain when it came.

The nurse came and took it away I felt so bad I didn't expect to see tiny little hands, arms, and legs I just cried in my boyfriend's arms. A couple minutes after that I went to the toilet again and the afterbirth passed, the nurse came again and took it.

It was around 11pm the nurse said I had passed everything but I couldn't go home because after an abortion you have to stay a few hours to make sure everything is okay.

I asked the nurse if my boyfriend could stay overnight with me, and she said yes. I was so relieved he could as I didn't want to stay on my own. My boyfriend then ordered food to our ward as he was hungry and he hadn't eaten all day. The nurses then moved us to a different room as the room we were in was needed for someone else.

Luckily the room they put us in had another bed so my boyfriend had a decent place to sleep as he was going to sleep on the chair.

After that I was bleeding really heavily through the night, I was back and forth to the toilet changing my pads.

In the morning the nurse came in and took my blood pressure everything was fine and they said I could go home whenever I wanted. The nurses were absolutely wonderful and I'm so glad that my boyfriend was with me the whole time it was the worse experience of my life and the worst pain I know I will never forget it and never lose the picture in my head but I wasn't ready for a baby.

4 months on I am on the pill and happy living with my boyfriend.

I could never thank the nurses enough and I know I will have a baby in the future when I am ready for one. (If you are having a late medical abortion keep in mind there is a chance you might have to stay in overnight and take lots of pads and pjs and a couple pairs of underwear and be prepared for the pain as it was the worst thing).

I hope my story helps, I feel a lot better in myself sharing it with you.