When Rakhi* discovered she was pregnant at the age of 23, she knew she was not in a position to bring a child into the world. Even though she’d been dating her boyfriend since they were at university, she was not sure that they were ready to have a child.

Not only had they just begun their careers, but they’d also been drifting apart lately. Was he even the man she wanted to build a life with? She wasn’t sure. Plus, there was the fact that they definitely didn’t have the financial means to care for a child…

What happened next

After considering all her options, Rakhi decided to terminate her pregnancy. She and her partner simply weren’t ready to be parents.

Rakhi remembered seeing posters advertising ‘cheap, pain-free, one-day abortions’ on street poles near her neighbourhood shopping centre. She tracked down a poster, called the cell phone number, and made a plan to meet up with the person who answered – he said he was a ‘doctor’.

How a ‘cheap, pain free abortion’ goes wrong

They met up at the shopping centre two days later and took a short walk to a building around the corner. But when she entered the building, Rakhi immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The place did not seem to be a legitimate medical practice. There were no registration certificates in the front room, and the ‘doctor’ couldn’t produce his medical certification. He also seemed to be the only person working there. When she asked him about the so-called ‘pain free abortion’ procedure, he said he would give her some pills to take at home, and it would be like she had a miscarriage. Fearing for her wellbeing, Rakhi decided to trust her gut. She told him she’d give him a call when she was certain, and hurriedly left.

Where to go for a safe, legal abortion

A few weeks later, Rakhi shared her story with a friend, who confessed that she was also seeking a termination. Fortunately, Rakhi was there to warn her against illegal abortion providers.

“As soon as I entered that building, I knew something was wrong,” she told her friend. “It looked unsanitary and I got a really bad feeling. My fears were confirmed when the ‘doctor’ didn’t even do a pregnancy test or confirm how far along the pregnancy was! I always thought those posters were legit – I mean, those doctors advertise so openly – but I was so wrong. I could see by the way he conducted himself that my health could be in danger.

“Thank goodness I figured it out before I made a huge mistake. Go to Marie Stopes instead,” she encouraged. “That’s where I went. You can trust them, and the doctors and nurses are professional and caring. Best of all, there’s absolutely no judgement – and of course, it’s legal. ”

How to make an appointment

A pain free abortion doesn’t have to put your life at risk. At Marie Stopes, we offer terminations in a safe, comforting environment, to ensure that you feel as little discomfort as possible. Read more about our safe abortions, and be sure to familiarise yourself with the signs of an illegal abortion provider.

If you’d like to make an appointment, or simply need advice, call us on 0800 11 77 85. You can also book an appointment online.

*Not her real name