Hi, My Name Is Alma.

Hi. I'm Alma, and I had a medication abortion in California in 2023.

I found out I was pregnant when I missed my period in January, but I live in a rural area with no pharmacy, so I couldn't get a pregnancy test. My first thought was: "I don't know if it's the right time!?! My partner and I are trying to have a second child, but I am scared trying to take care of my disabled mother-in-law, and my 2-year-old daughter in the middle of an extreme storm caused by climate change, with roads closed, a power outage, and howling winds."

I decided to have a medication abortion because I would have liked to manage my miscarriage in the comfort of my home. Instead, my HMO forced me to get a D&C in the hospital, 2 hours drive each way.

I got my abortion pills from an organization.

From start to finish, the process was frustrating because I couldn't access pills.

What surprised me most was that mifepristone and misoprostol are not available to rural women, even though it is so safe.

Because I had access to medication abortion, I was able to ride out the winter storm season and get pregnant again at the right time. I felt my health coming back.

I'm sharing my story because I am angry that health insurance companies are making decisions instead of women, reinforcing abortion stigma under the guise of liability.

Medication abortion is freedom!