"This decision defied everything I believed in.."

Kate shares her experience with abortion and how her parents' reaction to the unplanned pregnancy of her brother's girlfriend played a role in her decision making process.

Deciding that I could not endure my parents incessant and demeaning lecturing, nagging and manipulating, I opted for an abortion. This decision defied everything I believed in, but as I could not figure out how to conceal a pregnancy from my parents, I chose the "easy way out". If I'd had the baby, I would have wanted to give her/him up for adoption.....

When I was 30, I had a quasi-nervous breakdown about the abortion. I had no idea that it bothered me so much. I uncontrollably heaved waves of tears, and in between sobs blabbered about having an abortion, and how I murdered my unborn child. I went on to say that I felt guilty that I'd had such a good life and that after the abortion, I went on to have fun and finish college and do all of the things I'd always hoped to do and that I didn't deserve my life.