This story is published at Today Parents.
I have had two abortions, one when I was 19 and the second in 2019. My first abortion is a pretty straightforward story — I was a freshman in college, was with someone I was dating and I just wasn't ready or in a place where motherhood was a thought I could even entertain.
My second abortion, in 2019, was because of an ectopic pregnancy. I found out I was pregnant early on, so I went to Planned Parenthood and they did blood work to confirm. The pregnancy hormone was elevated in my body, but they couldn't find anything in my uterus. At first they thought maybe I was just very early on, so they asked me to come back in a few days. I did, had more blood work done and another ultrasound, but they still couldn't find anything.
Then I got a call a day or two later, and they said, 'You need to go the emergency room right now. Your hormone levels are showing that you're definitely pregnant, but since we can't see anything in your uterus you probably have an ectopic pregnancy.'
In the emergency room, they found the ectopic pregnancy in my right fallopian tube. An abortion saved my life, as the pregnancy was close to rupturing during surgery. I had my entire right fallopian tube removed.
Abortion is the ultimate gift. I wouldn't be here without it. It's the most impactful thing that's happened in my life. It allowed me and my husband to have our daughter. Having a baby when we were ready was the best thing that has ever happened to us and we're in a good place now, because it was the right time and a healthy pregnancy.
~ Frankie Krupa-Vahdani, 30, new mom of one