India:
Dear friend,
Today, I want to tell you something about my story. It’s not often that people talk about such things, but I feel it’s important.
I was nineteen, I was studying in college. I was also in a relationship since two years. Just like any other relationship, our relationship had its ups and downs. It was turbulent but passionate. We had just begun having sex. It felt like a new step in our relationship, and a new feeling. We were always extra cautious. We never had sex without condoms. And yet, one day, I found out that I was pregnant. My boyfriend was out of town for two weeks for work. I spoke to him over the phone. We were both quite certain that we couldn’t be parents. He didn’t have a real job. I was still studying at college. Having a child would have ruined all my plans for life. Given my situation, abortion was the only way out. But I didn’t know where to start. I was really lost, always confused and emotional. I couldn’t tell my parents, because, in our country, in our society, it’s such a taboo to talk about sex. Finally, I got in touch with an older friend. She agreed to help me. I remember making rounds to the doctor’s clinic, meeting unfriendly doctors. All the uncomfortable questions asked. I clearly remember going through tests all by myself. I feel bad when I think I was going through all of it alone. I started hating the fact that I had to keep a secret. I just wished I had been in a different society, where people were more accepting and open. The day of the abortion is still etched in my mind. The procedure itself wasn’t tough as such, but all the emotions around it were difficult. But I lived through it and don’t regret it.
And now to you, how would it feel to be in my shoes?
Yours truly,
This testimonial was shared by our partners at Love Matters India. National- and state-level studies suggest that the majority of women in India who seek abortion services do so to limit family size, space births or protect their health, or because of poverty and economic constraints.