Ulrika Jonsson has recalled having an abortion, stating that she doesn't regret her decision and wants others to have the freedom to make such a choice for themselves.
It comes amid concerns that a potential overruling of the Roe v. Wade court decision from 1973 may leave people in some US states without the legal right to an abortion.
The possibility has prompted Ulrika, 54, to speak candidly about her own experience, with the presenter having revealed that she terminated a pregnancy in the 1990s.
She said that it came around the same time as her father's sudden death, whilst she was going through a divorce and when she was in the early stages of a relationship.
Ulrika - who had a 15 month old son at the time of her abortion in 1996 - wrote about the circumstances surrounding the decision in a column for the Sun.
She said that contraception had "failed" her and recalled having been "neither willing to have or prepared for another child," with her instead opting for a termination.
"There was not a moment's doubt in my mind," she said. The former Gladiators presenter added that she doesn't carry any guilt over her decision, saying that it was "clear cut."
She said that her body wasn't ready for a pregnancy, with her mind "even less so". Ulrika explained that as a result there was "no emotional trauma" surrounding her decision.
The presenter stated in the recent column that this was because she felt that it was her right to have the procedure. She commented: "Most importantly, it was my choice."
Ulrika - who now has four children - said she was "lucky," noting that for many people the decision isn't always as simple and can often lead to feelings of "guilt" and "regret."
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She went on to discuss Roe v. Wade, which ruled in 1973 that state regulation of abortion was unlawful. However, states have been able to restrict when a termination can happen.
Ulrika, like many other commentators, said overruling it will "take away a woman's right to an abortion" in the US because the power will be with individual states.
It's feared that a number of states will ban abortion altogether if Roe v. Wade is overturned by the Supreme Court. Estimates suggest up to 26 states could outlaw it.
Ulrika said even banning it after the initial weeks of pregnancy is "outrageous," saying it takes us back to when "women had no authority or autonomy" over their bodies.
The presenter explained that she was offered a second termination in the early 2000s when a health issue was discovered with her unborn daughter - though she declined it.
"Had I felt that a termination was the right decision for me, I would have taken it. But I did not and she is now 21 years old. It was my right to choose," she commented.
She said that termination shouldn't be seen as the "easiest option" but that it's a right to be able make the choice for yourself, assering that she will always be pro-choice.
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