Hi, My Name Is Nicole.

Hi. I'm Nicole, and I had a medication abortion in Texas in 2008.

I found out I was pregnant when my period was a week late, and my first thought was "I’m on a medication that’s teratogenic, my birth control failed, and I’m ill and can’t afford a child." I decided to have a medication abortion because it was the most compassionate decision for both the embryo and me.

I received my abortion pills from a clinic.

From start to finish, the process was unremarkable, but having to wait until I was 5 weeks pregnant was traumatic. I took the pills at home, and I felt fine. What surprised me most was having to wait five weeks. The experience was fine.

Because I had access to medication abortion, I was able to finish treatment for my illness and build a stable life. I felt relieved.

I'm sharing my story because forcing a child to be born with birth defects in the name of “pro-life” is hypocritical when I would have received no support for a special needs child, and on a public school teacher’s salary, I wouldn’t have been able to give that child a decent life.

Medication abortion is a human right.