“At only 17 years old, while still a senior in high school, I vividly remember the intense fear I felt when I looked at that pregnancy test. What would become of me? I had always been the good girl – the one that got good grades and followed the rules.”
‘Despite having 5 beautiful children, I still couldn’t shake the feeling that our family was not complete. I looked around and thought, ‘Surely we have room for one more, right?’
‘When I was 18 years old, I had an abortion. The reasons were deplorable. I was in my first year of college, with a boyfriend I no longer loved. When I was 23, I had another abortion.’
“Before I could blink, I had an adoring husband, a 2-year-old and I was fresh off the ache of a miscarriage. When a recent layoff made insurance scarce and the price of genetic testing unreasonable, I went without it when I became pregnant once again.”
‘I was 17 years old, one month away from graduating high school. I was hanging out with a ‘friend’ who wanted to have sex, but I did not. He chose to rape me and the condom broke.’
“I received a phone call from my cousin who had just turned 14. She was calling to tell me she was pregnant. We ended up being due 3 weeks apart. I was shocked.”
‘I found out I was pregnant at only 17 years old. The news rocked my parents’ world. I was smart in school and dumb in love. I always knew I’d have the baby.’
“My swollen belly served as a force field around me. It quarantined me from regular teenage life. In true Jerry Springer style, I married the childhood best friend of my baby’s daddy.”
‘I was pregnant. Talk about the craziest 9 months of my 16-year-old life. My life changed overnight. I found out I was pregnant in May, days after my sophomore year ended.’
“If you want to see friends come out of the woodwork, get pregnant at 16. Everyone judges every move you make as a 16-year-old mom.”
‘I was 14 when I gave birth. It’s not every day you’re sitting in a waiting room with a 14-year-old mom, with her baby’s oxygen tank on her back.’
“I was a cheerleader, swimmer and honor roll student who attended church every week. On the outside I looked like your average kid.”
Getting pregnant at 15 was not a ‘dumb, teenage mistake.’ I wish I hadn’t remained silent.
“I was coerced into having an abortion by my parents who threatened to abandon me if I chose to continue my pregnancy. We were the typical Suburban facade, our lawn dyed as green as my parents were supportive.”
‘She handed him over to me, barely looking up. She knew I was coming, aware she would leave the hospital empty handed.’
“When I walked in, she began to cry. The cry of a child, just 18, who was losing something she wanted.”
‘I became pregnant. I was terrified. A dark shadow came across his eyes. He knew I was even more trapped in his spell.’ Teen mom’s incredible story of survival with her baby born from ‘the devil himself’
“Don’t ever let someone think they have control over you. Don’t ever be a young, terrified version of me. You are strong. You are fearless. I believe in you. Believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Run and find it.”
‘Can I brag a little? I finished high school early with 15 college credit hours. Had my son, and still graduated in the top 5% of my class.’
“I decided I did not have to become a disappointment because I was pregnant.”
