I’m 18 years old and guess what?…I’m still a virgin. Seriously. Let me explain. First, my parents had always told me that sex was meant for marriage–it was “the greatest gift that I could give to my future husband.” Sound kind of old fashioned…a bit unrealistic? Believe it or not…it’s very possible. Though I respect what my parents say, learning from my peers is what made me want to stick to what I’d been taught.

I never intended to receive counseling for my abortions until I was prompted by an associate who had the wisdom to know that I was suffering. I was hesitant to make that first phone call. I did not want to uncover the secret that I thought I had buried so well. When I first called the WPC, my first impression was the remarkable gentleness, kindness, and understanding in the woman’s voice. She explained to me what the abortion recovery program would be like. I decided at that moment to commit myself to the healing process. I needed to take a look at myself.

In November of 2002, a young woman discovered some profound and very much life altering news. Through the Westside Pregnancy Clinic she discovered she was pregnant.

Initially, she came to the center seeking healing for a past abortion, which had been a struggle for her. She was sure she did not want to repeat the past. She was adamant that she wanted to keep her child.

I had never been pregnant before. I was 17, weeks from graduating high school, and I had my entire future ahead of me. I could not believe that this was happening to me. All I could think of was that I needed money for an abortion. I didn’t even want to think about what that would entail, but I could not see any other way. The relationship between my boyfriend and I was unraveling, only adding to the tension. I wanted it all over. I wanted to find a clinic.

Hi, my name is Elizabeth and I am a birthmother to a healthy, beautiful 1-year-old boy. Choosing to place him in an adoptive home was not easy for me; in fact it was probably the biggest sacrifice of my life, but I thank the birthmother on staff, and everyone else from the WPC who helped me along the way in making a tough but brave decision which turned into a very special gift for two kind and loving people in need.

On February 8, 2003, I aborted my 8-week old son. My boyfriend told me that it would actually strengthen our relationship; that we would grow stronger from the experience. He also told me he wasn’t ready for a child, and that it would ruin his career. I granted his wish. Two days after the abortion, I ended up in counseling. One month later, my boyfriend left me. My counselor suggested I talk to someone who had been through the same experience, and she found WPC on the internet. I quickly set my first appointment, and my life has never been the same.

When I found out I was six weeks pregnant, I was homeless, unemployed and slipping into a fierce depression. I had recently resigned from my position at a wonderful non-profit working with the homeless in Skid Row to pursue other professional venues. Three weeks of sleeping on a friend’s floor was taking its toll on me both physically and emotionally as I had recently broken up with my boyfriend of one year and forced to move out of our shared apartment.