Safety Exit
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Exhale

Exhale

Listen | Support | Validate

  • About
    • What is Pro-Voice?
    • Exhale History
    • Leadership Team
    • Anti-Oppression Policy
    • Press
  • Get Support
    • After-Abortion Textline
    • Support Groups
    • After-abortion Resources
    • Self-Care
  • Volunteer
    • Become a Counselor
    • Work Behind the Scenes
    • Join the Board of Directors
  • Community
    • After-Abortion Stories
    • Exhale Blog
  • Contact
    • Request Training
    • Outreach Materials
    • Contact Exhale
Donate

After-Abortion Stories

Exhale Pro-Voice holds space for abortion story-sharing - both reading others’ stories and writing your own. Should you chose to add your voice to Exhale Pro-Voice After-Abortion Stories, you remain the writer and owner of your story.

 

Abortion story-sharing can help us to:

-Feel less alone in a shared and stigmatized experience,

-Cultivate empathy and growth, as no two stories are alike,

-And deepen our connections with ourselves and with each other.

 

Abortion story-sharing can help us feel empowered as we take charge of our own narrative. And, abortion story-sharing can be emotional and painful - for both readers and writers. Whether you share your story publicly, anonymously, privately, or only with yourself, you deserve dignity and respect. Your story is powerful - and we are rooting for you every step of the way!

 

Add Your Voice

Heartbroken after 12-week abortion at 15 years old

January 7, 2023 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Heartbroken

Heartbroken. I just turned 15. It's December 2022. My period was 3 weeks late I was terrified. I walked to our local shoppers drug mart, and with the little money I had, bought 2 pregnancy tests. When I got home, I took them and they were both positive. I had a pregnancy scare a couple months … [Read more...] about Heartbroken

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

no matter what happened, i love you surgical abortion

December 16, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

I love you no matter what happened

I love you no matter what happened. I had an abortion 3.5 months ago and it hurts like a breakup that came out of nowhere. Joys and hopes were shattered the moment the ultrasound technician told us about the malformation to the head of the fetus during our 12-week ultrasound. My partner and I … [Read more...] about I love you no matter what happened

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

I'm sad after my abortion resources

December 9, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Not sure why I’m sad

Not sure why I'm sad. I'm having a hard time moving on after my experience, which happened several days ago. I thought I would feel relief, or nothing, and to an extent I do. But there's also this heavy feeling trailing along behind me, something I feel has been changing me bit by bit and that … [Read more...] about Not sure why I’m sad

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

regret after abortion all feelings are valid

November 14, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Regret

Regret Tomorrow would have been my due date.I’m sorry if this all comes out as word vomit, but I have nobody who understands the pain I’m in.Found out I was pregnant in March this year. I was scared. I’m in college and have another year and a half left. Me and my boyfriend had just moved in … [Read more...] about Regret

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

asian-american christian

September 19, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Broken Warrior: The Story of an Asian-American Christian Woman

Quite a few declarations were made long ago by a young, sheltered, inexperienced, and perhaps foolish girl: I will never have an abortion, my family will be different. I will not have any regrets. I never expected this particular event to happen. Along with a few bombshells/reality checks, my world … [Read more...] about Broken Warrior: The Story of an Asian-American Christian Woman

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

sunset through the rocks

August 15, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Two Miscarriages, One Birth and One Abortion

Submitted by: Diana To my unborn child.....I want you to know that from the minute I found out I was pregnant, I cared for you. You were such a surprise because I thought I could never have children again. Unfortunately, you came at a unpleasant time. Your father and I had just ended our … [Read more...] about Two Miscarriages, One Birth and One Abortion

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

abortion regret from family

August 1, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Miss

Submitted by: IH It’s been 8 months since I had my abortion and it’s one of the biggest regrets of my life. I found out that I was pregnant the day after my 20th birthday. Having been diagnosed with PCOS at 15, I was told it would be harder for me to conceive, and that I would most likely need … [Read more...] about Miss

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

clouds representing that it was all a dream

July 28, 2022 By Exhale 2 Comments

A Glimpse of us

Submitted by: Natalie I think we all would never imagine ourselves in this situation, but here I am. I am a 30-year-old female who had an abortion a few days ago. I am married and have a wonderful spouse. At the time I am in graduate school and unemployed. I thought I missed my period as it is … [Read more...] about A Glimpse of us

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

farmhouse porch with sage on it

July 20, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

November of 1980

Submitted by: Marilyn Clayton I had an abortion in November of 1980. I thought I was 8 weeks pregnant at the time. The doctor said it was more like 10 weeks. We were using natural birth control, i.e. the rhythm method or the mucus method. Obviously it wasn't reliable. I was not in good mental … [Read more...] about November of 1980

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

A pile of gummy bears

July 13, 2022 By Exhale 2 Comments

I’m so Sorry

Submitted by: MoMo It has taken me almost three years to finally talk about this. The more I keep everything to myself, the more it hurts me. I am ready to talk about it. I hope I can reach out to other women who feel similar to how I did and still do. You are not alone. You deserve respect. You … [Read more...] about I’m so Sorry

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

A burst of bright orange ink in water, representing being loud and open and honest about one's abortion

June 29, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Thirty-four year old sex worker from Portland

Submitted by: Ashly Lorenzana I’m a thirty-four year old sex worker from Portland. I’ve been in the industry for around seventeen years, during which time I’ve had a total of seven abortions. The most recent of which was in late December of 2021. I am childless by choice, making me part of … [Read more...] about Thirty-four year old sex worker from Portland

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

Martyrdom is the last resort, dried fall leaves surrounding a tea rue potion

June 24, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Martyrdom is the last resort

Submitted by: Alicia Vervain This anger is cold.Empty. Hollow.It is not the raging fire of a forest sparkingagainst the black sky. It is that sky.It is the ash and smoke and charred meat of bodiesthat have more valuethan the lives they inhabit,whose wombs carry more potentialthan they … [Read more...] about Martyrdom is the last resort

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

A view looking up from underneath dark water with a bit of light shining through representing grief after an abortion

June 5, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Abortion Grief: If only I listened to my gut

Submitted by: Clarissa It's been almost a year since the abortion I didn't want to have and I'm still grieving. Between the stress an unplanned pregnancy caused in my relationship & the constant reminder of it because women's healthcare is all over the news as abortion rights are constantly … [Read more...] about Abortion Grief: If only I listened to my gut

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

beautiful mountains with fog just below the top

May 25, 2022 By Exhale 2 Comments

5 Pregnancies, 3 Live Births, 2 Terminations

Submitted by: Jen That's what I have to write on all the medical forms - of which there have been many, since my abortion 2 years ago. Two years full of regret, sadness, and a collapse of my previously stable mental health. My first pregnancy was to a man I didn't want to be with. I … [Read more...] about 5 Pregnancies, 3 Live Births, 2 Terminations

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

wire fence in a green field

May 16, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Abortion Was Actually the Least Problematic Part of my Abortion

Submitted by: Sarah N. The “trauma” of my abortion has nothing to do with the abortion, and everything to do with the guilt and shame forced on me by conservative parents who also forced shame and guilt on being pregnant and unwed. Of course they didn’t say it explicitly to me, but they raised me … [Read more...] about Abortion Was Actually the Least Problematic Part of my Abortion

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

May 8, 2022 By Exhale 1 Comment

I Made the Right Choices, But I Feel Regret. Especially on Mother’s Day.

Submitted by: K L I have had two abortions on separate occasions. My first time, I was 23 in 2017. It was with a man that I had just started dating and our condom broke one night. We thought nothing of it. I became really sick and took a pregnancy test at urgent care as a precaution. They … [Read more...] about I Made the Right Choices, But I Feel Regret. Especially on Mother’s Day.

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

Train speeding by a station with a clock in focus

May 6, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Confusion

Submitted by: Kerri I had an abortion awhile back and I literally think of it every day. I have multiple friends who are pregnant and all due around the same time as my baby would of been. I'm trying so hard to be excited and I really am for them, but I am terribly sad and miss my baby so much. I … [Read more...] about Confusion

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

Speaker attached to wall for announcements

April 18, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Happy With My Choice. No one Else is.

Submitted by: LJ How do you deal with an ongoing family issue around your overall family being anti-choice. I talked about my abortion publicly in detail and alluded with no specifics that someone else in my extended family had to make a hard choice to end a pregnancy. Then I posted this on a … [Read more...] about Happy With My Choice. No one Else is.

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

small white flowers in front of the rising sun

March 31, 2022 By Exhale 4 Comments

Please Forgive Me

Submitted by: Julia I found out I was pregnant in mid January. I told my fiance that day after work. We had been dating for 8 years, engaged in August and planning our wedding for Oct 2022. We are both 26 with stable jobs and rent a 3 bedroom house. He told me it was my choice and he would stay … [Read more...] about Please Forgive Me

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

A small bee over a field of purple flowers

March 21, 2022 By Exhale 1 Comment

Once Again Here

Submitted by: Nancy Last year on January 12 I had a surgical abortion at 12 weeks. I have been in and out of a relationship for 11 years with the guy who got me pregnant. We have 2 kids already ages 8 & 10, but this time around when I found out I was pregnant, I knew I couldn’t have it. … [Read more...] about Once Again Here

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

Board member

March 18, 2022 By Exhale Leave a Comment

Feeling Gratitude

Submitted by: Arohanui I am a 29 year old woman from New Zealand. I'm feeling grateful and relieved today, because I've successfully completed the process to surgically end my unwanted pregnancy. feeling gratitude for my supportive friend, who dropped me off/picked me up.feeling gratitude for … [Read more...] about Feeling Gratitude

Filed Under: After-Abortion Stories

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to page 3
  • Interim pages omitted …
  • Go to page 12
  • Go to Next Page »

Support Exhale

Help us continue to provide this imperative service.

Give Now

Footer

Contact

P.O. Box 14562 San Francisco, CA 94114
  • Amazon
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Twitter

Navigation

  • Privacy Policy
  • Give Now
  • Terms of Use

Join our Mailing List

* indicates required

Copyright © 2023 · Exhale

Exhale is a 501(c)3 organization (EIN/tax ID: 94-3393719)