“Should I Tell My Boyfriend I’m Getting an Abortion or Let Him Think it’s a Miscarriage?”
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I’ve been having bleeding for five days now and he thinks I’ve miscarried, but the doctors have said the baby is fine. Tomorrow I have a termination appointment, and even though I feel so bad about lying, I know saying I didn’t want the baby would crush him. I’d rather he think it was natural. Am I wrong for this? I just know I wouldn’t be able to give it the life it deserves if the relationship with the father ends up falling through. — To Tell or Not To Tell
It sounds like you’re asking two different things: first, if you’re wrong for wanting an abortion; and second, whether you should let your boyfriend think you miscarried or tell him the truth about getting an abortion. No, you aren’t wrong for wanting an abortion. You know it’s what you want, you have very valid reasons for not wanting a baby right now, and it’s your body and your life. As for telling your boyfriend, I think you need to look at doing so through the lens of the relationship not working out — because, let’s be honest, the likelihood of it lasting is slim. Even based on nothing more than statistics (most relationships don’t work out) before also adding in the pregnancy drama and the very obvious difference in where you two are in your lives and what you want, it simply seems unlikely that the trajectory of this relationship leads to a happily-ever-after.
So, let’s assume you’re going to break up eventually, one way or another. How does telling him the truth affect that? He might end the relationship sooner than he would if he believed you had a miscarriage, and that might not be a bad thing. The break-up would be based on a truth: you two want different things. How would telling him that you had a miscarriage affect your relationship? Well, he might double-down in his commitment to you, wanting to support you through this “loss,” and even suggest trying for another pregnancy before you are ready (because, again, you want different things at this stage in your lives). He may feel you are sharing in a kind of grief together – grieving the lost pregnancy — which may be difficult for you to navigate when your overwhelming emotion will likely be relief, not grief.
If it were I, I’d tell my boyfriend the truth and then let the chips fall as they may. At least whatever happened between us would be based in reality, in the truth, in a shared understanding of the experience even if our feelings about it aren’t shared. Whatever you decide to do though, know that terminating your pregnancy is the right choice for you because it’s YOUR choice. And, for now anyway, women still get to have some agency over their uteruses and bodies and lives.
I don’t necessarily believe that a ring/proposal means someone values you and your relationship and the absence of a ring means he doesn’t. I think a person can greatly value his or her significant other and not have any desire to get married (ever or any time soon), just as someone can marry a person without fully loving him or her. However! The fact that your boyfriend pretended to want marriage, especially knowing it was something you wanted, and he led you on for months and months, is deceptive and is most definitely a sign that he doesn’t value you as you deserve and should be valued. Frankly, he sounds like a real dick! And now he’s begging for you to come back to him but refusing to put a ring on your finger? Sorry, but fuck that shit. He doesn’t get to lie to you, lead you on for almost a year and a half, and then get you back just because he wants you back! Where’s his apology? Where are his amends for all the many months he deceived you? Where’s the promise to go to therapy to work out why he’s such a lying dick and to learn how to be better to and for you? Has he offered you ANYTHING to go back to him? Actually, forget that. Who cares if he’s offered you anything if he’s not actually offering the one thing he’s promised you all along and the one thing you really want. He could promise you the moon, but if he’s still refusing to marry you, move on. He’s not the one for you.
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Re: LW1, I agree with Wendy, but with one caveat. If you think there is ANY chance that your safety could be compromised if you tell him about the abortion, I’d have a think about not telling him. Or at the very least, telling him in public or with a friend/family member present, and maybe make a plan to stay elsewhere for a little while if you can. Oh, and break up. Any guy who would become angry or vengeful over your bodily autonomy is not a guy you should be in a relationship with. Best of luck to you.
Whatever you tell him, just do it after the procedure. Don’t give him a chance to prevent you or beg you not to. And yes, if there’s a chance he’ll harm you or retaliate just let think it was a miscarriage
I was coming here to say that. If you don’t he will likely double down on trying to talk you out of it, or worse, preventing you from making the appointment.
Wendy gave wonderful advice.
I agree with this too! Make YOUR choice, follow through on it, then tell him. Personally, I’d go with the truth unless your safety would be compromised–and in that case I’d also end the relationship.
Given his previously reaction, I’d let him believe you had a miscarriage. “I lost the baby.” He can fill in the blanks.
You’re absolutely right that bring a child into a 2 month relationship would be a very risky idea. You know what you want. Don’t worry so much about how he will feel. It’s not his choice to make.
I’m not normally a proponent of omitting or lying, but he’s already been upset about the idea. I do hope you take a step back from this relationship. You both want different things.
Whether you ultimately tell and/or stay with him or not, please consider birth control if you haven’t already. Be it the pill, an IUD, depo provera, whatever. You know you’re not ready. That awareness is good. Help keep this from happening until if/when you are. Stay strong.
I’d probably just let him believe it was a miscarriage, too, given that he (1) was upset at the mention of abortion; (2) that he already thinks you’ve miscarried; and (3) the odds of this relationship going the distance is slim to none, especially if you’re moving in the fall.
Frankly, I also think it’s a kind of a red flag that he’s upset that you’re considering abortion after a two-months long relationship and that he seems to be angling for you to have it (and forego school?) and basically be dependent on him. Obviously, you know him better than I do, but that just screams controlling, or at the very least, him trying to “lock you down” because of the baby.
Good luck, LW. And, you’re making the right choice for you and that’s what is important.
What on earth are people here thinking? OF COURSE you tell him, LW, and you don’t let him just believe it was a miscarriage, both because of Wendy’s points and because it’s generally a shitty thing to do. I’m all for informing him safely and standing firm on your decision, and I’ll admit I go back and forth on doing it before or after the procedure (I vote before, but I also understand the “after” arguments have a lot of merit), but even if you have the final say because it’s your body the fact that it is biologically his as well means you at the very least owe him the courtesy of telling him the truth. Imagine if the tables were turned and he was the one telling you; wouldn’t you want to know? Yes, I strongly suspect he’ll break up with you because of it, and that’ll suck, but I also think he’s entitled to not feel comfortable in the relationship depending on what his views are on abortion, and that’s as OK as your choice to have an abortion should be.
Also, way to assume the worst about the guy, folks. The LW said he was “upset”, not “angry” or “violent” or “demanding.” Let me tell you, if someone I was involved in a relationship with told me she was pregnant with my child and wanted to abort it, I would be upset too. I think being upset at the news is a perfectly reasonable reaction to have, and offering to support her and the child doesn’t mean he’s controlling her; it means he’s doing exactly what a decent human being does in that situation. He was there when the baby was conceived, and he’s responsible for supporting the child if the LW wanted to have the child. I think any other reaction than “I’m here and ready to take care of you and our child” would be soundly criticized here, and rightfully so!
I don’t think this is a case of people “assuming the worst” of this guy. The fact of the matter is reproductive coercion is a real factor that needs to be taken into account when a woman is seeking an abortion. And I agree that if he were unsupportive he’d be (rightly) raked over the coals here. I also don’t necessarily think him being “upset” will equate to him being violent. But I can’t and won’t rule it out when giving advice to her because her safety is more important than anyone’s feelings on how men are perceived in these situations.
Edited: BLah blah blah, bunch’s anti-choice lunacy.
No she doesn’t need to tell him anything unless she wants to keep the pregnancy (and in some cases, not even then if there is any danger from the father).
Yes, I agree honesty is the best policy but she does not owe him the truth. In fact I am surprised that she even told him about the pregnancy before making a decision herself.
Given that LW has not been happy about the baby while her BF has blithely been over the moon I think it’s just prudent to think about the what ifs if she’s honest with him. He’s not shown too much concern for her feelings and whether you like to admit it or not there’s a certain amount of pressure that comes from a deliberate ignorance of how a partner is feeling in favour of pushing the outcome you want, especially in a new relationship. She’s right to be wary.
If he’s framing this in his mind as the LW killing his baby, then she needs to be cautious even if hasn’t been violent. She’s only known him for 2 months! She has no idea how he operates under stress & disappointment. So far he’s not caring about her wants, needs, or feelings on the matter. I don’t think it’s a leap to assume he’ll go to great lengths to stop her if he knows of her plans.
Edited: BLah blah blah, bunch’s anti-choice lunacy.
Thanks a lot helped
No, I wouldn’t tell him. I’d also break up with him. You aren’t a good match. Why wouldn’t I tell him? Because this isn’t a relationship that’s going anywhere and because he seems the sort of guy who will tell the world how awful you were to him in killing his baby. A guy who is so enthusiastic about you having a kid at the two month point of relationship seems like a guy desperate to lock you down or a very conservatively religious guy which, since you don’t share his views, just isn’t going to work. I can certainly understand an “I’m here for you, whatever you decide” and sharing his preference, in a non-pushy way, if you ask him. But his strident approach in a two month relationship seems terribly controlling and creepy. He wants to tie you down before you learn more about him. Creepy can turn to scary in a heartbeat if you balk him, so just stick with the miscarriage story.
Also LW2 I think you’re both a bit nuts. This sort of thing is what happens when you think you can just ‘bypass’ the getting to know each other stage of dating. It serves a purpose, like finding out whether or not you’re on the same page about marriage or if it’s just lip service. Next time give that stage a go.
Have the abortion and let him believe you miscarried, since that’s already what he believes anyway. Also, get on reliable birth control STAT, whether or not you stay with him. Quite frankly, I don’t see much of a future in this relationship, as your lives are at such different stages.
If he makes a fuss and thinks you’re grieving a miscarriage, you can tell him part of the truth and say that it’s frankly a relief and that you never planned on having a baby so soon.
From LW1:
“I actually ended up not going through with the first appointment for abortion because the guilt was eating at me . I ended up telling him the bleeding wasn’t serious and that I was still pregnant. We ended up confessing to each other we both didn’t want it because of our circumstances and only told each other we did because we didn’t want the other to resent us and we end up losing the other . Funny how things work out . He told me he wants to be there for me when I go through with the medical termination so we plan on going together and going through what may come after as a couple . I’m incredibly relieved we’re both on the same page and we plan to get on a form of birth control / contraceptives .”
I don’t know what to think about it.
The update is very encouraging as he no longer seems like a crazy guy trying to lock you down with his baby two months in to your relationship…
Yes, it’s a happy ending. It also seems inconsistent with LW’s original statement that her bf was ‘upset’ that she wanted an abortion.
I don’t think it’s inconsistent. That kind of news is a BIG thing, of course, and he could have been reacting at that moment on impulse before really considering whether he actually wanted to have a child at this point in his life. It’s not like he claimed his first reaction was his best reaction.
Edited: BLah blah blah, bunch’s anti-choice lunacy.
Whoever is editing my comments wants people to not know they murder babies
1. You’re not wrong for wanting an abortion. Ultimately, you take the risks of pregnancy and childbirth on, and the longterm effects. And women take on the burden of child rearing most of the time. If you can’t cope with having a baby, you shouldn’t have to.
2. It’d be great that he wanted support you to keep the kid, if you also wanted it. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he is ready for it, or could look after it either. A lot of people don’t necessarily want abortions, but wouldn’t have chosen a kid either. It’s not great of him to think that him wanting the kid is more important than the risks you face during pregnancy and birth, or that your personal life circumstances don’t matter.
3. Get a form of long lasting contraception. I have the implant – a firm recommend. If you really don’t want to get pregnant again for some time, you need something reliable.
4. would it upset him to find out the truth? Yes, almost certainly. It might even be a complete dealbreaker for him. I think he deserves to know – how can you expect to build the foundations of intimacy if you build it on lies, even well meaning ones? But it’s a sensitive issue and you might not feel safe to reveal it, or ready. However, if you’re not compatible on things like whether you want kids, or whether abortion is permissible it’s going to be hard to last.
I’m really glad this ended well and that you talked it through with him.
Edited: BLah blah blah, bunch’s anti-choice lunacy.
You need help.
Edited: BLah blah blah, bunch’s anti-choice lunacy.
Cells or a fertilized egg are not a baby. Have you taken even a rudimentary science class?
They can’t even figure out an article is old so probably not
Blah blah blah I’m an asshole
I’d love to test your theory, try taking a 12 week fetus to a Mommy and Me class and see how you go.
See, “her fetus.”
Not a baby. You said it yourself.
You do understand that a woman’s body is hers to do with as she wants. You’re just a sad troll baby.
When you have to re-write the English language and redefine commonly used words to try to make a point which sounds half-way logical, then you’ve given away the game — you don’t have a point at all. Members of the English-speaking world have known what a child is and what a baby is for a millennia. Show them a picture of an actual baby or child and they will instantly be able to identify what they see by the proper, commonly accepted noun.
A fertilized egg is not a baby, it is a fertilized egg. A clump of cells is not a baby. Show a person a picture of either and they aren’t going to respond “that’s a baby”.
It is her baby. But it isn’t her right to destroy a separate human. If I birth a child or get pregnant with one, it is my baby, but that doesn’t mean I can kill it.
If it cannot exist without her, it’s not a separate life.
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/fetus
Clearly a baby. Head, fingers, limbs, etc. Even when it doesn’t look like a baby, it is one.
That heart shaped uterus looks like a medical problem, might wanna get that checked out.
None of those look like babies to me. Def would not touch.
https://www.shutterstock.com/search/fetus
Looks like a baby.
Clearly a baby. Head, fingers, limbs, etc. Even when it doesn’t look like a baby, it is one.
If it can’t live outside my body and I don’t want it in my body, I’m 200% getting an abortion.
So selfish. Taking a life cuz you don’t want it. Killing a baby just because. You disgust me.
https://www.liveaction.org/news/stunning-photo-of-noah-miscarried-at-12-weeks-will-amaze-you/
To each their own. You do you.
Live-Action is an American anti-abortion non-profit organization founded in 2003 by then 15-year-old Lila Rose. Live-Action is known for its undercover video sting operations on Planned Parenthood clinics. According to their about page, “Live Action News reports daily on stories the mainstream media often refuses to cover — including exposés of the abortion industry and stories revealing the dignity and humanity of preborn children — inspiring our readers to defend the most vulnerable within their communities.”
Read our profile on the United States government and media.
Funded by / Ownership
According to the Live Action website, “in 2008, Live Action was legally formed as a non-partisan, non-profit organization.” The website and organization are funded through donations.
Analysis / Bias
Live Action’s sole mission is to discredit Planned Parenthood and to advocate for Pro-Life policies. Typically, they try to achieve this through undercover sting videos. They also have a news section on their website that uses loaded emotional language such as this “Women in California may soon be protected from abortionists like these.”
There are only a few things which have been demonstrated to reduce the number of abortions: education and opportunity/advancement of women, comprehensive sex education, and most importantly birth control. With a smaller population than today, there were more abortions prior to Roe than there are today. The big difference: almost all of those pre-Roe abortions were unsafe and illegal and many women died or were grievously injured.
Funny thing: those who claim to be against abortion are also opposed to birth control, meaningful sex education and opportunity/advancement for women. They advocate such misogyny as: women may not preach, women may not be in positions of authority over men, and women must obey their husbands (or fathers, pre-marriage).
This is not about ‘protecting innocent, unborn life’. It is about keeping women in their subservient place. It is the American Taliban. Centuries ago, they burned Witches (otherwise known as uppity women or practitioners of nature religions).
I fully support using condoms (within marriage). If everyone waited til marriage and used condoms when they didn’t want kids, there would be no illegitimate children and way less unwanted children. Stop assuming my beliefs. I support sex education. Kids need to know before kids at school tell them things.
I’m a birth control baby. My mom was on birth control when I was conceived. A baby was the last thing she wanted. If she would have aborted me, so be it. It was her choice.
Me too, my parents were using a diaphragm. Both my brother and me were accidents. If I’d been aborted, why would I care?
Sure, condoms always work and no guy ever decides he wants to take it off for a second, just to see what it feels like. Condoms are totally under the man’s control. They’re better than nothing, but they’re not terribly effective. Hormonal methods give more power to women to decide when they do and do not want a child. Women need access to these methods and also access to abortion when they fail.