Some of the product of conception is still inside and will need vacuum removal

I am 33 years old and found out I was pregnant a month after splitting up with my boyfriend of one year. I had been pregnant twice before and had a medical abortion both times [other accounts of medical abortion], so when my period was 4 days late I knew deep down that I was pregnant.

After the first two abortions I had promised myself I would never terminate another pregnancy, but yet again the timing was not right and I was faced with making another difficult decision.

I really wanted to keep this pregnancy, despite breaking up with my boyfriend I really loved him and wished things were different. Part of me also felt like this was my last chance to start a family, so terminating the third pregnancy I felt like I would never deserve to be blessed with a baby of my own.

I was 6 weeks pregnant by the time I had the medical abortion [more accounts of abortion at 6 weeks].

I went to the clinic and had to walk past anti-abortion protesters on my way in. The nurses were lovely, they gave me the first tablet at 9 am and the four tablets were inserted vaginally at 3 pm the same day.

I took a cab home and took the painkillers they prescribed.

Approximately two hours later the partial abortion happened, the pain was intense and came in waves of contractions. Unfortunately I continued to experience intense contractions for a week after the abortion, and I have revisited the clinic twice since taking the abortion pills.

I am told some of the ‘product’ is still inside and I will have to go back for the vacuum removal in a few days.

I am grateful for the nurses at the clinic, our bodies all react differently to medication and this has been a very unfortunate three weeks for me.

What I will say to anyone considering abortion in general, is it's tough and it can be a lonely road and a very heavy burden to bear.

This is my third week of contraction waves, and as much as I had hoped to pass the abortion at home I will now have to go through the more invasive treatment. The nurses have assured me I will be put to sleep for the vacuum removal and I will finally be free of the contraction waves (the contractions are my body trying to remove the remaining tissue).

This whole experience has left me feeling drained emotionally and physically. I have had the support of friends, but they have not experienced an abortion so they do not understand the conflicted emotions in carrying inside.

I didnt have the post-abortion counselling for the first two abortions but I will try some sessions for this one. I have found reading other women's experiences helped and I hope if anyone has had a complicated medical abortion like me, they find comfort in me sharing my story.