Feli's story

"I'm sharing my experience because I think that every woman needs to know that abortion is a difficult choice, it makes you feel a lot of mixed emotions - but if you decide to go through with it, you will not feel alone at Marie Stopes."

Feli, aged 19, knew she didn't want to get pregnant yet, so she visited her GP and started using the contraceptive pill:

"I started my first tablet of Microgynon and waited for 7 days before having sex, as my GP told me to. At the end of the course I didn't have my period, so I went to my medical centre again and they told me to continue, because this can occur in the first 3 months of taking it.

"I finished my second course, and again, no period. I did a pregnancy test from the doctor and it was negative, so I continued with the pill because I didn't have any symptoms of pregnancy. I finished the third course and still there was no period. I changed my pill, and no period again. By now I was feeling so pumped up, and I knew that there was something wrong.

"Eventually I did two pregnancy tests, and both were positive!"

Feli visited her doctor again who confirmed the pregnancy. She decided right then and there that she couldn't continue the pregnancy, and so her doctor referred her to Marie Stopes UK.

"On my first appointment I found out that I was 20 weeks pregnant! And I didn't know anything - no symptoms, no vomit, nothing.  It all seemed to me like a nightmare. I was careful in everything.

"The process took 2 weeks in total - between my first consultation and my second appointment (when I had the actual abortion). I went to the Manchester centre and they were all absolutely beautiful with me, all the staff were lovely and kind with all the women that had to make a difficult choice that day.

"Because I was far along with the pregnancy, the process needed to be longer. They took my blood pressure and tested for chlamydia, and they gave me a form to sign with all the risks and explaining the process.

"When it was my time to go in I was so scared about being put to sleep. I went to the theatre and the doctor put the drugs into my hand, it's so strange because you can feel it in your veins like a cold liquid and you can also taste the flavour in your mouth, but then I didn't see anything, completely dark, like a long sleep. You can't remember anything, but some people dream, and then when I woke up I was on my recliner and my first thought was: 'it's all over, all done, it was just a couple of minutes'.

"I was inside the theatre for 20 minutes, it seemed like 1 second. I was feeling woozy, but that's normal and I had a little bit of a headache, but that's normal too. Then you start to feel better and the staff will give you painkillers, water, coffee or tea and some lovely biscuits (I ate something like 10 biscuits - they were delicious!).

"When you feel better they will bring you back to the reception and give you the aftercare book, and here you can meet the person that came with you. 

"When I woke up I was on my recliner and my first thought was: 'it's all over, all done, it was just a couple of minutes'."

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"I'm sharing my experience because I think that every woman needs to know that abortion is a difficult choice, it makes you feel a lot of mixed emotions - but if you decide to go through with it, you will not feel alone at Marie Stopes."

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