I was 23, a post college grad with a decent job at my mom’s business when I found myself pregnant. I was on birth control at the time (although I missed a fair number of pills) so this was quite a surprise! The father could have been any of three partners I’d recently had, all of whom would not have made the best fathers for various reasons. Obviously I was not in a solid relationship either, or any relationship for that matter! Based on the date of fertilization I discovered the father was my coworker, a married man 10 years my senior with a child of his own. This made the decision to have an abortion easier, having the baby would have made the affair public, ruined his marriage, hurt his existing child, AND make my life that much harder. But I think if that was not the case I would have done the same thing, I was not ready to be a mother. I have no regrets for doing it, although every once in awhile I wonder what would have happened, who that child would have been. But now I’m older, more mature, still on the search for a career I’m passionate about, and thankful for my life as it is. I do want children and one day, hopefully in 4 or 5 years, I will have a great partner and we will have 3 or 4 happy children! I don’t think that would have been as likely had I not gone to Planned Parenthood for an abortion. It is is every women’s right to choose, you have to decide what is best for you at this point in life and what kind of life you will be giving your children. And maybe your future children are the ones who are meant to exist.
-26, SF, Female, Dancer
