In 2009, I got pregnant after being raped by a man I was seeing. This was in my first year of university. I went to a public hospital 4 weeks into my pregnancy which is the best time to actually have an abortion because it’s safer.
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I was treated like I am an irresponsible child who did not know what she was doing. I was judged for choosing to do family planning by having a termination by healthcare providers whose job was to help me. So I went backdoor. At first I had no idea that the place I went to have an abortion was an unsafe abortion facility.
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My soul died on that bed that day. That abortion was more difficult than giving birth to my children. I felt the pain so many years after the termination lingering whenever I thought about it and spoke about it.
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This is despite the fact that the law allows us to get abortions for free in a safe and controlled environment. The stigma and ill-equipped healthcare providers left me in the hands of unsafe abortion providers who could have killed me.
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The dangers of buying abortion pills on the street and getting an abortion from an unsafe facility include severe bleeding, uterine perforation, tearing of the cervix, severe damage to the genitals and abdomen, internal infection of the abdomen, and blood poisoning. If you see a poster written ‘Safe pain-free abortion’ on the streets, take it down and save a life.
Gaopalelwe phalaetsile
Getting an illegal abortion is dangerous and puts your health at risk. Learn how to spot illegal providers in this article.
Do you have questions about what the SA law says about abortion? Click here to find out.
Are you thinking about getting an abortion but you’re not sure where to start? Find out here.
Do you know about the different abortion procedures? Learn about them here.
Making the choice to have an abortion is not always easy. You may need to talk to someone about your feelings and thoughts. Trained counsellors at loveLife are here for you. Find out how can contact them by clicking here.
