|  You
are not alone . . .
Pregnant
Women's
Stories from Jamaica
|
Lady
A's Story: I am the mother of three boys
and the eldest one father is dead. I
cannot afford another child as my salary does not permit me, I
am already struggling to support my children |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
|
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$200 |
| Age |
30 - 34 |
| Ethnic Group |
Central Asian |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I was date raped by someone I know |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
I did not use birth control |
|
Lady
B's Story: will my parents find out? is
this process harmful? |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
Yes |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
beating from father or other family member |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$ |
| Age |
16 years old |
| Ethnic Group |
African American |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
birth control pill |
|
Lady
C's Story: hi may name is K. an i was
pregnant before unfortunetly it was life threating and the doctor
said i must not get pregnant untill it is safe
to do so but mistkes happen and abortion is illagal in jamaica
i am worried because this can be life threatining and i can eventually
die so i would love for you to help me my life depends on it thank
you |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
Imprisonment |
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
dis-owned by family |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$500 |
| Age |
20-24 |
| Ethnic Group |
Jamaican |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for, I used birth control
but it did not work |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
birth control pill |
|
Lady
D's Story: plz help |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
school expulsion, deportation/banishment |
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
school expulsion, forced into prostitution,
husband leaves, beating from father or other family member, dis-owned
by family, death by the hands of a
family member |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$ |
| Age |
16 years old |
| Ethnic Group |
African American |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
We used a condom for men |
|
Lady
E's Story: plz i am Astraight a student
who is going to start college in a few months i really want to
graduate plz help me plz |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
Yes |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
school expulsion |
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
school expulsion, beating from father or
other family member, dis-owned by family |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$ |
| Age |
17-19 |
| Ethnic Group |
African American |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
We used a condom for men |
|
Lady
F's Story: I am married I just had my
son about two years ago. My husband said he does not want anymore.
He already has 10 to 12 himself. If he finds out I am pregnant
he will leave me.
I am
not working and have no money for myself. I do want this baby
but can not take care of two babies by
myself. I need to find work, so I can stand on my own two feet.
|
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
Religous outcast |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$800 |
| Age |
40 or more |
| Ethnic Group |
African American |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for, I did not use birth
control I am
Breastfeeding so I did not think I was fertile |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
I just did not think I would get pregnant |
|
Lady
G's Story: Am
not in the position to have a child at this moment because we
are both in school. I end up in this position because the withdrawal
method
failed.
|
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
|
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$250 |
| Age |
17-19 |
| Ethnic Group |
African from Africa |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I did not use birth control |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
I did not use birth control |
|
Lady
H's Story: I am 34 yrs. old with a 11
mth old daughter. I used the contraceptive gynera but i sometimes
miss days. My husband and I can\'t afford
another child right now beacuse I am not working, we live in a
1 bedroom apt. wih no option to find somewhere bigger now. He
blames me for the
pregnancy but I can\'t afford an abortion so he says maybe if
he beats me I would lose it, but I don\'t want that to happen.
I can\'t talk to any body else about it because they are against
abortion. I just know that if I continuewith the pregnancy, life
will be unbearable for me and my daughter. |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
Yes |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
husband leaves, beating from husband |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$250 |
| Age |
30-34 |
| Ethnic Group |
other... |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for, I used birth control
but it did not work |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
Birth Control Pill |
|
Lady
I's Story:I don\'t know if i am really
pregnant.Too scared to take the test just
want my period to come. |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
Yes |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
dis-owned by family |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$550.00 |
| Age |
20-24 |
| Ethnic Group |
African American |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared for |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
We used a condom for men, Withdrawal Method: to pull out "in
time"! |
|
Lady
J's Story:I am in a very bad space right
now. |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
Yes |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
|
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
|
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
$375 |
| Age |
30-34 |
| Ethnic Group |
African from Africa |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I used birth control but it did not work |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
Diaphragm, Cervical Cap or Shield |
|
Lady
J's Story:I AM AN 18 YR OLD LIVING IN
JAMAICA I AM CURRNETLY IN COLLEGE DOING
PREUNIVERSITY SCIENCES WITH TE HOPE OF BECOMING A SURGEON, I LIVE
IN A CHRISTIAN HOME WITH VERY STRICT PARENTS. I HAV BEEN DATING
ONE OF MY CLASSMATES FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS NOW N LAST MONTH WE DECIDED
THAT IS WAS OK TO HAVE SEX AND WE HAD SEX TWICE, WE DID USE CONDOMS
BUT I DONT KNOW WHAT WENT WRONG ALL I KNOW IS THAT I MISSED MY
MONTHLY PERIOD. WE DONT KNOW WHAT 2 DO AS NONE OF US ARE READY
2 HAV KIDS AS WE ARE BOTH 18 N LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE HOLD CONDITION.IF
MY PARENTS FOUND OUT, I WOULD BE BEATEN SEVERLY AND MAY EVEN BE
FORCE TO LEAVE MY HOUSE AND NONE OF MT RELATIVES WILL TAKE ME
IN. MY BOYFRIEND WILL BE FORCED TO LEAVE SCHOOL TO SUPPORT US
AND I WILL B EXPELLED FROM
SCHOOL EVENTUALLY. I CANT HAVE AN ABORTION BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL
IN JAMAICA |
| Is
abortion legal in your country or state? |
No |
| Penalties in
my country if i choose to end my pregnancy prematurely |
school expulsion, imprisonment |
| Family reaction
if they knew I wanted to end my pregnancy |
school expulsion, beating from father or
other family member, dis-owned by family |
| Approximate
cost of an abortion in my country |
|
| Age |
17-19 |
| Ethnic Group |
other |
| Reason for
becoming pregnant |
I had consensual sex with someone I cared fo |
| Birth control
used (if any) |
We used a condom for men, Rhythm Method |
|
|
| |
|
