Hi, My Name Is L.

Hi. I'm L., and I had a medication abortion in Illinois in 2015.

I found out I was pregnant when my period was late. I took a home pregnancy test, and my first thought was: "not now." I decided to have a medication abortion because my partner and I weren't financially or emotionally in a position to have another child. We have one daughter who is the light of our lives, but between childcare expenses and our schedules, we knew we'd be better parents to her as a one-child family.

I got my abortion pills from a clinic.

From start to finish, the process was initially confusing. There are a lot of community clinics offering information about abortion, but fewer that actually provide abortion services. Fortunately, there was a clinic in my city that offered medication abortion. I took the pills at the clinic, then the second pill at home, and I felt relief. The clinic had told me exactly what to expect, so I was prepared for some initial nausea and cramping. I sat on the couch to relax and ended up falling asleep for several hours. What surprised me most was how empowering the experience was. I expected to feel shame, but the clinic staff were supportive and treated my appointment just like any other healthcare visit. After taking the second pill and having that long nap, I felt better than I had in weeks—the morning sickness I'd been experiencing went away, and the anxiety I'd felt after seeing my positive pregnancy test was gone.

Because I had access to medication abortion, I was able to be the best mom possible to my daughter, keep a job that I love, and feel like my life was my own again. I felt free.

I'm sharing my story because no one should have to feel guilty or alone for choosing abortion, and no one should be lied to about the safety and efficacy of medication abortion.

Medication abortion is healthcare, and it is a valid choice no matter your circumstances. Although my health was not in immediate danger, I consider medication abortion life-saving because it allowed me to have the quality of life I wanted. Everyone deserves that chance.