Hello! My name is Carol Anne and I'm 24 years old. Perhaps my problem is not that important compare to other girls, but for me it is, because it's making me very blue. 7 months ago, I was dating a guy and 3 months later, I got pregnant. Honestly, I felt deeply drowned in an ocean where I couldn't swim, because even though I have a bachelor's degree, I have a full time job, and I'm doing my master's, I didn't feel prepared and to be honest, I didn't want to have a child without being married or at least in a stable relationship. Since the first day I knew, I decided to keep it, because, although I respect the decition of those who abort, I couldn't do it.

Dear Becky,

i found out i was pregnant 28 april 2009. i was only 17 and in my first year of university. i was so lost, sad and confused. all i could think about was how i was going to get myself out of the situation. i cried myself to sleep thinking i had let myself and my parents down. life was just miserable. the first person i told was my boyfriend. he said he'd support me in whatever i decided. just the thought of being a mom at 17 made me fill so sad.

I am a Masters student in Clinical Psychology, at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. As part of my Masters program, I am writing a dissertation on the impact of Post-abortion distress on the relationships of women. I am interested to learn about the experiences of women who have struggled through the ordeal of having to terminate a pregnancy and I need volunteers who would be willing to share their experiences with me.  Anyone who has had an abortion within the last 10 years is eligible to partake in the study. If this is you, and you want to share your experience, please contact me on 079 453 9980 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information. Participation is confidential and interviews will be handled with sensitivity.  Alternatively, if you know someone who might be eligible and willing to participate please forward this notice to her.
I appreciated your willingness to help.

Kind Regards
Suné Botha (Researcher)
079 453 9980
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Growing up my mother was my rock. i had an alcoholic dad, but my mom, i hadn't ever seen drunk in my life. She was the strongest christian i had ever met and she put her family before all else. My dad was a very bad alcoholic and through all the scary things he did and put us through, she somehow managed to stay by him and try to help him through it.
When i was fourteen, my mom passed away. she died in a lawn mowing accident in our back yard. we live on a river, and as she was mowing the edge, the blade got stuck on cattails, tipped the mower and she was trapped.

I looked around me, woman around me , with no feeling in their eyes – while mine prickles with close tears.  They sit there laughing and joking like nothing is wrong and that the smell of murder is not hanging in the air.  I sit there staring at a white wall, their voices fade away.  Me and my thoughts , what a cruel thing at that moment!  I stare and stare trying to find reason in what the hell I am doing!  Why am doing this, why the hell am I sitting here if I was the one joining and voting against abortion?  Yet here I am the one that judged ... sitting here doing the exact same thing.