Abortion Anthology
Personal stories from people who have had, provided or supported abortions.
Abortion experiences are as diverse as people themselves. Some will find that it’s legal, accessible, free or affordable. Others will find their journey to receiving abortion care difficult and frustrating, fraught with restrictions and stigma.
And then there's the people who provide abortion. They are nurses, midwives, gynaecologists, doctors, pharmacists – based in hospitals and clinics, trekking into remote communities, on the frontlines of crisis and conflict. They deal with both devastating and joyful situations daily as they work to make the world a better place.
Abortion care is evolving, expanding and positively changing lives. But the conversation continues to be hijacked. Divisive politics, the pushback on rights and democracy across the world, and anti-choice tactics and disinformation are causing harm.
Our stories can re-centre the voices of the people at the heart of abortion care.
As common as any other type of healthcare, having an abortion is normal and unremarkable. But the personal and global impact from people having access to safe and quality abortion care is transformational.
It’s worth fighting for. And it's worth telling stories about.
Read their stories
Vicky
30, United Kingdom
Between university lectures, Vicky took a pregnancy test and an unexpected positive result threw her into panic. She made a firm choice to have an abortion so her future could be on her own terms.
Wasihun
MSI clinical quality director, Ethiopia
Wasihun has provided abortion for two decades – in cities, remote villages and public hospitals. He recounts the incredible changes he's seen since Ethiopia legalised abortion.
Véronique
36, Democratic Republic of the Congo
A mother of eight and with some difficult births in her past, Véronique felt she would not survive another pregnancy. So a network of Congolese women in her community helped her find safe abortion care.
Debanjana
Lifelong abortion activist, India
Debanjana's mother told her if she ever needed an abortion, it was her choice to make. That comment set her on a path that would ultimately define her life and work: fighting for abortion rights in India and beyond.
MSI UK abortion providers Amy and Bea
MSI UK abortion providers Amy and Bea
A client waits for an abortion at a clinic in India
A client waits for an abortion at a clinic in India
Elizabeth, a pharmacist, checks inventory at an MSI clinic in Nairobi
Elizabeth, a pharmacist, checks inventory at an MSI clinic in Nairobi
Sandra
24, Kenya
A young mother of two, struggling for money, Sandra fell pregnant again. The man she was seeing offered her a 'way out' – giving her unregulated, unsafe pills, that would almost end her life.
Araceli
MSI managing director, Mexico
MSI Mexico's WhatsApp line was the main way people were connected to abortion services. Until the day it was abruptly cut off by Meta. Araceli was behind the scenes managing the chaos that followed.
Elizabeth
MSI nurse, Sierra Leone
Elizabeth provides post-abortion care for people needing medical intervention after having unsafe abortions. She's witnessed women dying from trying to end their pregnancies. And she's saved lives too.
Laura
31, United Kingdom
Laura had a medical abortion in her 20s because she simply wasn't ready to have a child. Years later, she would find herself on the other side of abortion care, at an MSI clinic as a training nurse.
Lilian
Public health provider, Ghana
Lilian's community has stopped receiving supplies from US aid. Contraceptive options are dwindling. Women are confused and upset. With more people seeking abortions, access to safe care is more important than ever.
Qalincha
37, Bolivia
A dreamer, a feminist, an activist. Qalincha is a volunteer in her community supporting women to access abortions. She acts as their 'companion', going under the radar to give women the information they need.
All the people who have shared their stories expressed their desire to help normalise abortion and end the silence and shame surrounding it.
People need abortions today. And tomorrow they will, too.
We all have a role to play in supporting access to safe services and reducing the stigma that people face.
Whether that’s by continuing the conversation, sharing our own stories, donating to support people to have abortions, or advocating within our own networks and systems.
For those who don’t yet have access to high-quality abortion care, let’s change their story.
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