Wherever you stand on the issue of abortion there’s no denying that choosing to terminate a pregnancy is a difficult decision most women wish they didn’t have to face. And, although there’s been a steady decline in abortions since 1980, 4 out of 10 unplanned pregnancies are terminated each year.
The following 15 celebrities fall somewhere within that statistic and each one share openly their painful and, in some cases, horrific experience.
Photo Credit: Mondo Entretenimento
1. Toni Braxton – The soulful singer revealed that she had an abortion in 2001, and recounts the painful journey in her memoir “Unbreak my Heart.” Because of Braxton’s overwhelming guilt she once thought God was punishing her by giving her youngest son, Diezel, autism. She told US Weekly magazine, “I have since realized that my son is special and learns in a different way.”
2. Chelsea Handler – The outspoken comedienne had an abortion at the age of 16, at the urging of her parents. She says that she has no regrets about her decision because she didn’t think she’d be a good mother.
3. Sherri Shepherd – The actress and TV personality has been very vocal about her “many” abortions, and shared that she’s felt guilt and shame over it. Before she became a Christian, she’s admitted to living a promiscuous lifestyle in her twenties and having, “more abortions than she would like to count.”
4. Sharon Osbourne – The talk show host had an abortion at 17 and 3 miscarriages afterwards, due to a damaged cervix. She said having the abortion was the worst thing that she ever had to do, but her mother pushed her into having it.
Photo Credit: Justin Hoch
5. Penny Marshall – When the Laverne and Shirley actress was in her 40’s she got pregnant. In an extensive interview with Fox 411 she said, “I had a kid already, my womb wasn’t crying out. I talked to my brother (Garry Marshall). We made the pros and cons… It was more ‘do I want this other person in my life, for the rest of my life?’
6. Alice Walker – In the 1960’s, the Color Purple author learned that she was pregnant after her junior year at Sarah Lawrence College. She was frightened and didn’t know how to tell her parents, and even contemplated suicide. She had an abortion, and admitted to suffering from anxiety and depression afterwards.
7. Vanessa Williams – In an interview with ABC’s Nightline, and with her mother by her side, the actress and former, Miss America, revealed to the world that she had an abortion as a teenager. She also admits to being a highly sexualized teen, due to being molested as a child.
Photo Credit: Whoopi Goldberg/Twitter
8. Whoopi Goldberg – It’s been reported that The View co-host had six abortions. Goldberg admits that at least one of the abortions was self-inflicted when at 14 she used a coat hanger to terminate her pregnancy.
9. Joan Collins – When the actress was dating Warren Beatty, she became pregnant. She states that he convinced her to have an abortion and she has no regrets.
10. Shelley Winters – The Oscar-winning actress admitted to having two abortions, and before her death she was quoted as saying, “I am a very lonely woman. I would give everything – my money, my Academy Awards, my career – if only I could have those children now.”
Photo Credit: Rosa Paolicelli
11. Sinead O’ Connor – At the height of her career in 1990, the controversial singer had an abortion. She confesses to being happy with the pregnancy, but she and the father of the child didn’t work out so she decided to terminate the pregnancy. She said it took a year for her to get past it.
12. Mackenzie Philips – The former, One Day at a Time, star sadly revealed that she was sexually abused by her father, John Phillips, for ten years. When she became pregnant and didn’t know if the unborn child was fathered by her dad or her then-husband, Shane Fontayne, she decided to terminate the pregnancy.
13. Rozonda “Chili” Thomas – The TLC singer confessed to having an abortion before she became famous. She said that it was the most painful decision she ever had to make, because she really wanted her baby.
14. Susan Sarandon – Susan Sarandon admitted to having an abortion in her early twenties. “I had an abortion in my 20s. My first [and only] marriage was falling apart. I had an affair with an insane guy and I knew having a kid with him wasn’t the right thing …” she told The Guardian in 2006.
Photo Credit: Stevie Nicks/Twitter
15. Stevie Nicks – In 1992, the Fleetwood Mac singer shared with VOX magazine that she had four abortions, with four different lovers. She’s said that the men, including singer Don Henley, couldn’t handle her decision. Later she says, “To give up four babies is to give up a lot that would be here now. So that bothers me, a lot, and really breaks my heart…”
Whatever your feeling; whatever your decision; whatever your stance; one thing can’t be debated, the physical and emotional scars that may be left behind, after choosing to terminate a pregnancy, will be left behind forever. Choose wisely.
Related: 10 Celebrities Who Were Conceived By Rape or Bore a Child Out of Rape
Wow! I had no idea these celebrities had abortions. I love the non-judge mental way you wrote about this. Good job!
Hi Diana, thank you for your thoughtful comments.
This is very sad to read that so many of them had abortions while they were young. I’m pro-choice, but its sad that some of these women were made to end their pregnancies or felt they didn’t have another option.
Hi Sonya, very sad indeed. Hopefully these stories will help or encourage other women out there. Thanks for stopping by.
There’s so much sorrow expressed by these famous women who made the choice to end their pregnancies. You handled this explosive topic with great delicacy and honesty. I appreciate your sincerity. Thank you for your post!
Stevie Nicks……was very forthright on admitting to her 4 abortions…and her regret….as…she remembers of what could have been…………(Abortion….never solves….it just…kills and injures….)
Did she ever think of birth control. A smart woman in every other way but to be left alone thinking what could have been had she not been so cold & irresponsible is a disgrace. I will never listen to her music again. No she is not the beauty people say she is an empty shell. One is bad enough but 4?
I do NOT like how some of the women, it seems by their comments, were very selfish. “Do I want this other person in my life for the rest of my life”. What kind of thing is that to say? Selfish! And I also got a feeling, from reading some of the women’s comments, that life can be disposable if you want it to be. It really makes me mad when it comes to multiple abortions. If you felt so awful when had the first one, then why did you have more? Because that life inside would inconvenience you? This is just deplorable. Selfish. It makes me very sad.
I absolutely agree with you 100%
I agree also! Why would you not take any preventative measures AFTER the first abortion or second abortion?! That’s so irresponsible and stupid. I’m sorry , but These women are trifeling to have multiple abortions. And I don’t support it.
Agreed. And I know one of these ladies very well, and love her dearly. But abortion is a national disgrace and makes whores and emotional basket cases out of our women.
Sadly some just using as a form of birth control… mostly it can tear you apart… most of these woman you could see it in their words, regret and .pain ….
I don’t believe in abortion no matter what. That circumstance is the baby didn’t asked to be here
Don’t kill your flesh n blood!!
Please
Don’t kill your flesh n blood!!
Please
I had survivors guilt after I did it
35 yrs ago
I’m so sorry I did it
For any of you suffering from having had an abortion, there is help. Many pregnancy centers offer free counseling and support to help you heal. Rachel’s Vineyard is another option that offers retreats that guide woman through their pain and help them find peace.
You just don’t kill babies, but Whoopie did—she killed seven babies. It’s no wonder she’s always angry. She’s a foul mouthed, ugly troll and she deserves no respect!
She hates herself
I so agree with you. Whoopie is so hateful and loudmouth and doesn’t deserve the platform to speak on that pointless one sided show.
God designed sex for transmitting life . It’s both amazing and tragic to see people believe they can ignore Him and His Laws and Designs . Does not compute.. Never will no matter how much we want it to be otherwise and how smart and progressive we think we are.
I’m surprised Whoopie found someone to bed her!! See there’s hope for anyone!!! No
wonder she is so mean and evil!! She lives with guilt!! One is enough for anyone but _3_4_5_6_7 give me a break!!! Sure hate to be in her shoes when she meets God at the end of her life!!!
I am a nurse that does prenatal ultrasounds. You can see the babies heart beating at 6 weeks. At 12 weeks a baby is paying like on a trampoline in its mothers womb. I love all babies born & unborn..