*Editor’s Note: Elephant Journal articles represent the personal views of the authors, and cannot possibly reflect Elephant Journal as a whole. Disagree with an Op-Ed or opinion? We’re happy to share your experience here.

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Some people cannot understand how I can advocate the pro-choice position to the abortion debate.

A woman like me, who is unable to procreate.

My personal belief is women should have the right to decide to abort their pregnancies. Women should make the ultimate choice, without another’s opinion. No one has the right to judge women’s decisions concerning their own bodies.

Governments should not have the right to intrude or impede decisions related to any woman’s body. Choices are hard enough without having the government prevent a woman from doing what is right for her situation.

I’ve spoken to some women who decided to abort their pregnancies over the years. The tough decision was the right one for them, considering their circumstance at the time. The unborn will always be in the women’s hearts and minds—their entire lives.

Abortion can be the least self-destructive option available. The reasons for unwanted pregnancies range from poverty to rape and incest to health issues with the mother or abnormalities with the fetus. The reasons are no one’s business except the woman’s—especially government officials. The exception will be the woman’s trusted and chosen confidante.

I’ve been shunned by friends and acquaintances whose opinion is that women wouldn’t find themselves in this tough situation if they’d just kept their legs closed. The fact that these pro-lifers don’t see all the other possible causes of unwanted pregnancies is mind-boggling.

“Social conservatives in the U.S. Congress are not just antiabortion but increasingly anti-family planning. The harmful policies these lawmakers are pursuing are based on falsehoods, and are severely undermining the health, rights and autonomy of women around the world.” ~ Heather D. Boonstra, Director of Public Policy in the Guttmacher Institute’s Washington, DC office

I’m terrified for young girls and women of childbearing age. The changes in law in the United States regarding abortion are appalling, in my opinion.

This article from the Guttmacher Institute shows the nationwide overview of Abortion Laws as of January 2020. United States laws changed in some states in 2019. The Guttmacher Institute also reported that 57 percent of American women live in a pro-choice hostile state. With the changed laws, this number will rise.

These changes in law will inevitably result in the deaths of women. Because the reasons for aborting an unwanted pregnancy will not change. Women will get “back room” abortions. How can government officials sleep at night knowing their laws result in the deaths of women?

For all the reasons above, this infertile woman is pro-choice.

I’m baffled as to why the government and pro-life individuals don’t put more time and effort into teaching prevention as opposed to persecution. This country could benefit from putting money and resources into sex education and birth control.

This once great country is moving backward. This saddens me.