I have had two abortions in my life, one at 19 and one at 23. My decision to have an abortion was based on a simple premise: I was pregnant, and I didn’t want to be.

The reasons were many; I wasn’t mature enough, responsible enough, financially stable enough, I wasn’t married, I was a student, I wasn’t in a secure relationship. But whatever the reason, when a woman doesn’t want a baby, she knows it. In both cases, I made an appointment with the local clinic, went in, had the procedure, and went home. That was about the extent of it. I have never regretted it, nor have I had any emotional, mental or physical “side effects.” I am 45 years old now with three teenagers, and I feel lucky that I was able to decide for myself when it was the right time to have children. I am convinced my story mirrors many others who have undergone an abortion procedure – I didn’t take it lightly but I approached with practicality, and it in no way “scarred” me. I believe we need to demystify abortion and view it for what it is: a safe, legal, relatively affordable, and sometimes necessary, medical procedure.