Fortunately, I started to form a different opinion to abortion, as I left home at 18 and my world opened up to meeting non-religious people. When I found myself pregnant at 19, my partner at the time did not want a child and, given the relationship was abusive, I did not find it a difficult choice to terminate this pregnancy. I recall attending pregnancy options counselling at ‘Children by Choice’, at the purple house in Windsor, where an incredible counsellor supported me through the process of seeking an abortion.
It wasn’t long before I was able to have my abortion at the Greenslopes Day Surgery, where the Dr Peter Bayliss was my clinician. The experience was one I will never forget, as Dr Bayliss provided the perfect level of emotional and physical expertise to ensure it wasn’t a traumatic experience. The relief of not continuing this pregnancy was enormous, but at the same time stirred up emotions of angry at the catholic church, as I believe no-one should have the right to push their values onto another person.
Nineteen years after my first abortion, I went through a different experience with a pregnancy where genetic testing confirmed ‘trisomy 18’ syndrome with this baby. The devastation of having this diagnosis for a much wanted baby was in complete contract to my previous experience of seeking termination. My husband and I had been trying for a child for 4 years, with multiple miscarriages, most likely attributed to my having endometriosis. After we received this devastating news, we had to wait for two weeks from genetic testing results, to have a termination at RBWH (the wait was due to the procedure deemed ‘elective’ surgery). I was fortunate that the RBWH provided a maternity case manager who phoned me almost daily, to check on my mental health and keep me informed of the surgery timeline. If it wasn’t for this incredibly kind, caring woman, I do believe I would have struggled with my mental health during the wait for the termination.
I was almost 16 weeks by the time the date of the termination arrived, which was almost a month from the date a pregnancy scan suggested further testing for a genetic issue. I believe this is important for any hospitals or private clinics to address, as my experience could have been so different, had I been able to access the termination as early as possible from confirming the trisomy 18 diagnosis.
Looking back at my two, different abortion experience, I find myself wanting to share these stories in the hope that other women can feel they are not alone in having abortions. Back when I had my first pregnancy terminated, in 1988, there was a lot of stigma and shame in having an abortion. ‘Children by Choice’ has always been a constant support, in terms of always fighting hard to assist women obtain abortions and providing wonderful counselling. With organisations like ‘Children by Choice’, women are fortunate to be given the opportunity to share our experiences, and I have been returning the favour by volunteering for ‘Children by Choice’ for a few years now. So thank-you ‘Children by Choice’, you are amazing and I feel privileged to still be connect to you after almost 40 years since my first abortion
We had 1 incidence of unprotected sex and after much deliberation I decided to take Plan B which ended up not working.
I had a relatively new relationship I liked and thought a child not wanted by both, would jeopardise a relationship I was happy in, for one as a single parent.
When I spoke to my GP, she was amazing, was completely non-judgemental, and offered a referral and support letter for access to an abortion, if I wanted one.
When I accidentally became pregnant in my mid-20s, I was, in theory, in a much better place both financially and emotionally.
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