15 years ago, when I was 31, I had an abortion. I was living in Brisbane at the time. I had been using the Pill and it failed. I was very strict with it so it was a huge shock when I found out that I was pregnant. I knew immediately that I couldn’t have a baby. I needed an abortion. Children had never been part of my life plan. I like kids and my nieces and nephews are the apple of my eye but I knew that I would never have any of my own. I’m simply not cut out to be a Mum. My partner knew this before we entered into a relationship and felt the same way.
I am a financial advisor and have always been focused on my career. At the time I had just been promoted and was excited at the possibilities that would result from this. Upon finding out from a home pregnancy test that I was pregnant I talked to my partner and we both instantly decided to get an abortion. I went to my Dr the following day. He had been prescribing me the Pill for years and knew I never wanted children. We had discussed the idea of an IUD or implant but they had a very bad reputation at the time so I decided against it. At the appointment I told him that I was pregnant and that I needed to know where to access an abortion. His response horrified me. He said that this was the world’s way of telling me that I was meant to be a mother. That, as a woman, I was supposed to continue this pregnancy. I was appalled that this was his ‘professional’ opinion. I asked him if he would help me at all. He said he wouldn’t. I then went to another Dr at a different practice who upon hearing my request for an abortion awkwardly muttered to me that it was possible and threw me an information packet from deep within his desk draw. She then asked me to leave. I did. I confided in a friend my situation and she told me about a clinic that had opened up the previous year in Greenslopes. She had been one of their first patients. She gave me their number and I called them then and there. I had an appointment booked for the following week. The day I went in I was harassed and bullied by protesters outside. They yelled at me if I was sure I was doing the right thing? Did I know that I would be a murderer? I walked past them and flung myself into the clinic. My partner arrived after I did and they must have yelled at him too. He was red faced and possibly more traumatised than me by them. In the waiting room there were several other women who were all clearly from different walks of life. We all kept to ourselves, a little tense with anticipation and I suspect a desire to get it all done with. I was called in by a lovely nurse who asked me if I was sure about what I was doing and if I knew what I wanted. I assured her I was and she told me to follow her. I had an ultrasound done and was then told that I was about 7 weeks pregnant. I had the procedure done that day. It only took a few hours and in the post-op area the atmosphere was the polar opposite of that in the waiting room. All the women there were openly relieved and overjoyed to no longer be pregnant. We had our lives, our planned futures and our bodies back. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. I am now happily single and child-free. At 45 I keep a busy work and social schedule. I travel at least twice a year, have incredible relationships with friends and family and most of all I am happy with my life. Not many people can say that. I am so glad that I was finally able to access an abortion. Although the two doctors I saw were disgraces to their profession. In my job, I have to give people the professional advice they come for – I don’t see why doctors should be any different. I am now based on Adelaide but I hope that QLD women are soon afforded the lawful right to choose. It should have been done a long time ago.
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November 2017
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