At the age of 30, I was in a long-term relationship and I believed that I would marry the man that I was involved with. It was not a shock to either of us when I discovered I was pregnant. However, I was very sick in the beginning of the pregnancy and naturally I expected his support. Upon telling him, he became very jealous, aggressive, and volatile. He was very concerned about the lack of attention he was getting from me and became argumentative and mentally abusive. At times he’d even say that he didn’t believe I was pregnant. I decided not only was this guy not going to support this pregnancy, but that he wasn’t going to be a good husband or father to my child. Having lost my father when I was 3 years old, I remember how difficult it was for my own mother to raise me and wanted my child to grow up in a two-parent household. At this point I started my search, and thank God I found NAF. I was greeted on the phone with a concerned and genuinely caring voice that was interested in my story and gave me the help and support I needed. There was no feeling of shame, for this was the first time I felt like I could breathe. Thank you for all your help and kind words. You all are doing a truly great act and are helping many great women make the right choice for themselves.
--Submitted by Atiya* through our website
I have five children. I had very difficult pregnancies and someone has always had to help with my children while my husband was at work. If it wasn’t for this assistance I wouldn’t have had a choice. Thank you so much for helping my family.
--Submitted by Duyen* through a member clinic
Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we feature real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.
I’m 21 years old and recently found out that I was pregnant. It was scary seeing the positive sign on the pregnancy test; it was surreal. All I could think was: is this happening to me? I have just started college. My decision was instant and final. However, I continued to have questions run through my mind. What if abortion was illegal in this country? What would I have done? Would I have tried to go to Mexico to terminate the pregnancy or would I have attempted to do it myself? How would I pay for this? The NAF Hotline and the clinic told me that they would help me through this situation. This has changed my life for the better and I am so thankful for that. I would have been so lost, but everything is okay now.
--Submitted by Aysa* through a member clinic
I am pro-choice because I believe no one should have the ability to tell a woman what she can or cannot do with her body. When I found out I was pregnant I knew I needed an abortion. I’m not ready for a child. I promised myself that I would never be in this position again because I am now and will forever be in control of my own life. Thank you.
--Submitted by Amelia* through a member clinic
Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we feature real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.
Today, I issued the following statement:
Today, the Virginia Board of Health passed medically unnecessary, politically-motivated regulations targeting the state’s abortion providers. These regulations will not make abortion safer, but will just make it more difficult for abortion providers to remain open and for women to continue to access the abortion care they need.
This morning, the Board of Health heard testimony from abortion providers and members of the medical community opposing these medically unnecessary regulations. However, they still chose to reject numerous amendments offered to protect the safety and confidentiality of both providers and patients with little to no debate. It is deeply distressing that the Board chose to put politics ahead of medical evidence and women’s health.
Abortion has an outstanding safety record, and Virginia providers are already highly regulated. Fewer than 0.3% of abortion patients experience a complication that requires hospitalization. Health care facilities, including women’s health centers, are already required to comply with a variety of federal and state regulations. Medical professionals, including physicians and clinicians who work in abortion care, are required to maintain professional standards and licenses and complete continuing medical education courses. Additionally, most abortion providers comply with professional guidelines and established standards of care.
There is no evidence that unnecessary regulations like those passed in Virginia today do anything to improve patient safety. These new regulations are not about ensuring that abortion care is “safe.” They are about ensuring that abortion care is unavailable in Virginia.
Anti-choice legislators in the states continue to push new legislation that would restrict women’s access to abortion care.
Kansas Abortion Providers Fight Onerous Regulations
Wednesday, two NAF members testified against regulations targeting abortion providers during a Kansas Department of Health and Environment hearing. Earlier this summer, Kansas passed onerous and unnecessary abortion regulations, which dictated among other things the room temperature and exact sizes of everything from procedure rooms to janitorial closets at facilities that provide abortion care. The providers who testified have filed a federal lawsuit, which has prevented these regulations from taking effect.
At the hearing, the providers argued that the rules would harm women's health by curtailing abortion access and make it all but impossible for doctors to get licensed to provide abortion care.
>Learn more about the Kansas regulations
Federal Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Texas Sonogram Law
Last week, a federal judge temporarily blocked provisions of a Texas law that would have required a woman seeking abortion care to view a sonogram image at least 24 hours before her procedure. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled that there was cause to believe that such requirements were an unconstitutional burden on doctors.
“Personhood” Amendments in Mississippi, Ohio
Mississippi is one of just a handful of states that will be holding elections this year, and among the items on the ballot will be a measure that seeks to define “person” as every human being from the moment of fertilization. If approved, the measure could criminalize all abortions within the state, including those applying to cases of rape or incest.
An anti-choice group is hoping to place a similar constitutional amendment before voters in Ohio in 2012. Personhood USA is circulating petitions in an effort to amend the state’s constitution to define a person as any human being at any stage of development, including fertilization. Such recognition could make abortion care illegal.
Making the decision to have an abortion takes a lot of courage and strength. A person can take all of the steps necessary to prevent a pregnancy, yet mistakes still happen. I don’t have a lot of financial and emotional support right now; however, NAF and its member clinic in Cleveland have given me strength to get through this time in my life. I appreciate everything they do for women in need.
--Submitted by Baxter* through a member clinic
I recently lost my job and the man that I was involved with was abusive. I believe that if I were to continue with this pregnancy, the child would be abused as well. I am also in school and I would not be able to graduate if I were to continue with this pregnancy. Now I can focus on my future and move on with great hopes in my heart!
--Submitted by Jacori* through a member clinic
Over one-third of women of reproductive age have an abortion by the age of 45. However, women who have chosen abortion are often absent from the public debate. In order to break the silence surrounding abortion, we feature real stories from real women each Wednesday on our blog. If you would like to share your story with us or have it published on our blog, go to http://www.prochoice.org/pregnant/hotline/share.html.
At the age of 30, I was in a long-term relationship and I believed that I would marry the man that I was involved with. It was not a shock to either of us when I discovered I was pregnant. However, I was very sick in the beginning of the pregnancy and naturally I expected his support. Upon telling him, he became very jealous, aggressive, and volatile. He was very concerned about the lack of attention he was getting from me and became argumentative and mentally abusive. At times he’d even say that he didn’t believe I was pregnant. I decided not only was this guy not going to support this pregnancy, but that he wasn’t going to be a good husband or father to my child. Having lost my father when I was 3 years old, I remember how difficult it was for my own mother to raise me and wanted my child to grow up in a two-parent household. At this point I started my search, and thank God I found NAF. I was greeted on the phone with a concerned and genuinely caring voice that was interested in my story and gave me the help and support I needed. There was no feeling of shame, for this was the first time I felt like I could breathe. Thank you for all your help and kind words. You all are doing a truly great act and are helping many great women make the right choice for themselves. 
