An Unintended Pregnancy- Anita 21

“I seemed to have forgotten that it takes two to tango.”

I used to think I could escape the wrath of unwanted pregnancy, but January 2023 had other plans for me altogether. I was in my second year of university, and I had just resumed school from the Christmas break. I had recently started being sexually active and could not wait to relieve my 'dry spell' and that of my boyfriend. In the throes of passion, I forgot to check the calendar for my period, and unfortunately for me, I happened to be ovulating. Needless to say, we did not use any form of protection during sex. The day I expected my period to start, it didn’t; by the fifth day, I began to panic. Two strips on a pregnancy test confirmed my worst fear; I was pregnant! Trying to process this news as a twenty- year old broke college student was difficult. My equally broke boyfriend did not hesitate in suggesting an abortion. I broke it off with him because he had ruined my life. I seemed to have forgotten that it takes two to tango.

Problem solved, or so I thought

Acquiring the abortion pills was a walk in the park since most campus students vend them as a form of their hustle. The process was gruesome and extremely painful but a success from what I had googled; I could tick off all the expected results after taking the pills. An onset of mixed emotions later on began flooding my mind, and all I could think of was the abortion. Had I done something inhumane? Was I low-key a murderer? I asked myself what my baby would have grown up like if I had carried it to term. I sort of built a cocoon and hid in it.

The downward spiral

None of my close friends knew what I'd done because I couldn't bear the judgment. I completely shut off everyone and could barely function. Negative thoughts filled my mind 24/7, and that seemed to be the only thing I could do; blame myself for my decisions repeatedly. My physical health had deteriorated, and I casually brushed off comments from those who noticed by saying I was on a diet.

How I bounced back

It reached a point where to keep my sanity; I decided to cope by opening up to strangers on social media. By sharing my ordeal on platforms such as this, I found it comforting since strangers are unknown, and this outlet has since become a part of my support system. I have also found solace in knowing I can touch the hearts of a few young people like me and cautioning them to be extremely careful. This can only be achieved by making informed decisions and taking sexual health seriously.