Mikala's Story

When I had an abortion in April of '93, I was surprised at how hard it was to talk about it, even with my closest friends. I was also surprised at how many women I knew had had abortions -- it was like this sad secret everyone had. Their stories helped me so much -- talking about it with people who had gone through it made me feel much less ashamed, much less alone. Since then I've been able to share my story with other women and offer my support to them.

The decision to have an abortion was one of the most difficult decisions I've ever had to make, and I am deeply sorry that I got myself into the situation that necessitated such hard choices. But the farther I get from that decision, the clearer it is that it was the right thing to do. I'm very grateful that the choice was there for me to make.

Now I'm pregnant and eagerly awaiting the arrival of my first child. This pregnancy has brought home deeper than ever how completely unready I was then to be a mother. I really believe that my abortion experience pushed me onto a better, more responsible path -- so that I am now ready and eager to welcome a child into my life.

Mikala