Tina’s story begins when she was twenty years old in a new city, with a new boyfriend, and an unborn baby in her womb. Similar to many women who find themselves in an unexpected pregnancy, Tina was afraid of what this new responsibility meant for her life.
“At the time, I was scared and wanted it to be over,” she admitted.
In an interview, Tina walked us through her story in choosing abortion and shared what she wished she would have known before making that decision.
I was embarrassed and scared
Not long after moving from southern Virginia to upstate New York, Tina began dating a guy she thought was the man of her dreams and their relationship became physical. Shortly after that, Tina noticed she missed her period. “I remember being really scared and thinking, I’m probably just late.” The positive band on the pregnancy test was confirmation that she wasn’t late at all but carrying a baby.
“After I did the pregnancy test, I was so scared… for me to be pregnant would be so embarrassing. It would be more than I wanted to bear.” She broke the news to her boyfriend, and they decided to have an abortion.
For fear of being recognized, Tina and her boyfriend drove to an abortion clinic an hour outside the city. She sat in the waiting room until the doctor called her back. When it was her turn, the doctor looked at her and asked, “Do you really want to go through with this?” She agreed, and he performed the procedure. “What I would give to go back to that moment and say no and walk out of that office,” Tina grieved.
Thirteen years later, Tina’s heart has finally began to heal.
“Looking back, I wish I was brave enough to reach out to talk to someone to find out what my options were, and that abortion was not the only option. At the time, I was scared and wanted it to be over.”
Through counseling, Tina was able to confront the pain she suppressed and find healing.
We asked Tina: What do you want to say to the girl considering her options?
First of all, I want to tell you how sorry I am that found yourself in this position. I know it’s frightening, I know it’s scary, and I know you don’t know what to do. But I also want to thank you for your bravery to talk about it and find out what your options are. I wish I had done that.
Tina encourages women who find themselves in her situation to not be afraid and to reach out and talk with a pregnancy counselor. “They are loving; they’re accepting, and they’re not judgmental,” she assured.
Our pregnancy counselors are here to listen to your concerns and will help guide you through all your options. The truth is that you have more than one option, and you are not alone. If you are facing an unexpected pregnancy or if you think you are pregnant, reach out to one of our pregnancy counselors.
