When a woman experiences an unplanned pregnancy, her mind is flooded with questions:  How can I care for this child? How can I afford this baby? How will my parents or the baby’s father react? These women feel as if no one understands or cares about what they’re going through. As a result, many go through with an abortion.

While it’s important to know the medical details about how abortion is performed, it’s equally important to consider the emotional implications of this procedure. Women should realize that abortion is a permanent choice; it is not something that can be “taken back” once performed.

Following are quotes from women who have had abortions, explaining the experience:

The Abortion Experience

Abby Johnson is the founder of And Then There Were None, a nonprofit organization that helps abortion clinic workers leave the abortion industry. She had this to say:

“One day in the car, my daughter (out of nowhere) asked if some day she would be able to see her siblings in Heaven. I asked her what she meant…honestly, hoping that she was not talking about my own two abortions. She said that she knew I had two abortions and she wanted to know if she would ever get to meet those babies because she said, “in my heart, I miss them.” I never knew I would pass that sort of heartbreak on to my children. When I had my abortions, I never thought about how it would affect others. I didn’t think about my future children. I never thought about how I would have to explain my selfishness to them. My abortions live in me, and unfortunately, they live in them.”

Ashley Granger, a wife, mother, and sonography student stated:

“Now that my son is 4 years old, I sometimes look at his sweet face and wonder what features my other child would have had. I still have dreams about holding him or her and it makes me so deeply sad to think that I have robbed my son of a sibling. Why not just try and conceive a sibling for him today you may ask? Well, I would love to but my husband and I have been struggling with infertility for two and half years. I never once dreamed that I wouldn’t be able to conceive when I wanted to! Every night my sweet boy prays to God for a sibling and every time I hear those precious prayers my heart aches over what I did. Because in retrospect an abortion isn’t an easy fix or a solution to a problem….it is the problem, and it leaves a lasting effect on generations to come.”

Jewels Green, former abortion clinic worker and public speaker wrote:

“[…]January 6, 1989, at 9 1/2 weeks gestation, I had an abortion. It nearly killed me. No, not the surgical procedure, the psychological aftermath. I attempted suicide three times after my abortion and finally ended up in an adolescent psychiatric ward of a community hospital for a month to recover. […] Working in the autoclave room was never, ever easy. I saw my lost child in every jar of aborted baby parts. One night after working autoclave my nightmares about dead babies were so gruesome and terrifying and intense I met with the clinic’s director to talk about my feelings. She was very understanding, open and honest, and painfully forthright when she told me, “What we do here is end a life. Pure and simple.”

Healing and Hope

Have you had an abortion? Realize that processing your feelings takes time, but healing and hope are available. You may wish to talk to a counselor or minister you know and trust about your experience. Are you considering an abortion? Be sure you get all the facts about abortion, both the medical procedure and the psychological impact. Life Line Pregnancy Center has information available so you can make an informed decision.

If you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy, our trained volunteers at Life Line Pregnancy Center are there to provide education, counseling and information. Contact us at (910) 392-0001 or info@lifelinewilmington.org

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Sources:

American Pregnancy, “Incompetent Cervix: Weakened Cervix.”

AfterAbortion.org. “After an Abortion: Steps Toward Healing.”

Flanders, Nancy. “8 Unbelievably Heart-rending Quotes from Women who Aborted their Babies.”