An internet-wide debate has resulted from one brave woman’s choice to detail her at-home abortion experience on TikTok.
On 20 July, a 24-year-old woman named Monica showed her TikTok followers how she completed her abortion, from the comfort of her home, for the first time at nine weeks pregnant. She began by showing the items she needed to prepare her body: the required prescription drug typically used for terminating early pregnancy, motion sickness medicine, a bottle of water, maxi pads, and Planned Parenthood’s timely instructions.
“It is highly recommended to take ibuprofen (with food) and anti-nausea pills 30 minutes before your first dose of abortion pills which I did here,” she said.
For her first dose, Monica – who already has one daughter – was required to put four pills in the sides of her mouth and keep them there for 30 minutes. Then, she washed down the tablets with water.
Speaking with Newsweek, the woman explained why she decided to share her abortion experience using the medications mifepristone and misoprostol, which are typically prescribed to terminate early stages of pregnancy. “My hope would be that abortion becomes more normalised and seen as what it is - healthcare,” she confessed. “I wanted to create a safe space for women to come forward and share their experiences and stories about their abortions without the fear of being judged or criticised.”
The 24-year-old continued: “I’ve noticed that the media tends to ignore the topic of abortion as a whole and I thought, ‘Well, maybe if I come forward and share my own journey, we can finally talk about it.’”
Her video showing the side effects of using the “abortion pill” - mifepristone and misoprostol, prescribed by Planned Parenthood - has now reached over 3.1m views. However, it’s received mixed emotions and reactions online.
While some followers thanked Monica for her vulnerability, others were opposed. “Thank you for posting. I’ve never known how these kind of abortions work,” one woman wrote. “Wtf why is this on TikTok?” another person said.
“I definitely felt hesitant about documenting my abortion because I was so worried about the kind of response I would get,” Monica told Newsweek. “It was my attempt to reach out to those who may feel alone or unsupported through such a vulnerable event and to show that there is nothing to hide when it comes to making a choice that is best for you.”
“In all honesty, when the negativity did start rolling in, I was just so comfortable with my decision that none of them fazed me. There was nothing anyone could have said that would have changed my mind or made me regret posting my video,” she continued. “I helped so many more people than they ever could have with their hatred and that’s what mattered most to me - helping people.”
Despite the negativity, an overwhelming number of commenters were pleased to see Monica open up about her experience. Many women related to her, and offered their own advice on how to cope emotionally and physically following an abortion.
One individual said: “Please priortise your mental health after this process. It could be hard, but you got this. You are strong. You did what was right for you.”
“This was so informative. Thanks for sharing your story,” a TikTok user noted, while another added: “Literally saving. Bless you, for showing us the process. I was always terrified of it.”
Even commenters from US states such as Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama - where bans or restrictions to abortion access have become increasingly common - encouraged her honesty, despite being located where abortion has now been made illegal and inaccessible.
“I think it’s incredibly important for women to share stories like this because in a big way, it helps to destigmatise abortion,” Monica told Newsweek. “Talking to all these women and sharing our stories together also opened my eyes to see just how little support women around the world have when it comes to reproductive health.”
“It’s a right that everyone deserves and a choice that no one should ever make without proper resources and education. It’s heartbreaking when I hear that it’s not available to everyone just anywhere,” the mother said. “In some places, it may even place a danger on people for just talking about it. I felt so powerless with my inability to help them and I can only imagine what they may feel.”
She added: “I hope that my video will reach the right people who have had questions about abortion and to hopefully clear the misconceptions and lies surrounding it. It’s not as scary as many people have been taught to believe, and they are not alone.”
In 2022, the US Supreme Court officially overturned the decision in Roe v Wade, which protected a woman’s right to an abortion more than 50 years ago. One year later, 13 states have implemented total bans starting from conception, while Georgia has implemented a ban after six weeks.
The Independent has reached out to Monica for comment.
