Milla Jovovich Opens Up About Having an Emergency Abortion

Paige Gawley‍
Updated
'Abortion is hard enough for women on an emotional level.'

Milla Jovovich is opening up about her experience with abortion.

After Georgia and Alabama passed bills effectively banning abortion, the 43-year-old actress said she decided to get political, something that, she wrote, she prefers not to do. Georgia's bill, which was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp, bans abortion after a heartbeat is detected in an embryo and leaves open the possibility of prosecuting women who have one. Alabama's bill, which has yet to be signed by Gov. Kay Ivey, bans abortion altogether -- save cases of a "serious health risk" to the mother -- and punishes doctors who perform the procedure with up to 99 years in prison.

"Our rights as women to obtain safe abortions by experienced doctors are again at stake," she wrote alongside a contemplative selfie. "Last Tuesday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a draconian bill into law that outlaws all abortions after six weeks -- before most women even realize they’re pregnant -- including in cases of RAPE OR INCEST. This makes Georgia the sixth state to pass such a restrictive six-week abortion ban, joining Ohio, Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, and North Dakota. These laws haven’t been passed yet, but lawmakers in these states are trying."

Jovovich went on to detail the emotional outcome of having an abortion for many women, while describing her own experience with the procedure.

"Abortion is hard enough for women on an emotional level without having to go through it in potentially unsafe and unsanitary conditions," she wrote. "I myself went through an emergency abortion 2 years ago. I was 4 1/2 months pregnant and shooting on location in Eastern Europe. I went into pre-term labor and told that I had to be awake for the whole procedure. It was one of the most horrific experiences I have ever gone through."

The Hellboy star, who has two children -- Ever, 11, and Dashiel, 4 -- with her husband, Paul W.S. Anderson, wrote that she still has "nightmares" about her experience and described being "alone and helpless" during her procedure.

"When I think about the fact that women might have to face abortions in even worse conditions than I did because of new laws, my stomach turns," she wrote. "I spiraled into one of the worst depressions of my life and had to work extremely hard to find my way out. I took time off of my career. I isolated myself for months and had to keep a strong face for my two amazing kids. I started gardening, eating healthier and going to the gym everyday because I didn’t want to jump into taking anti depressants unless I had tried every other alternative."

"Thank God I was able to find my way out of that personal hell without turning to medication, but the memory of what I went through and what I lost will be with me till the day I die," she continued. "Abortion is a nightmare at its best. No woman wants to go through that. But we have to fight to make sure our rights are preserved to obtain a safe one if we need to. I never wanted to speak about this experience. But I cannot remain silent when so much is at stake."

I don’t like to get political and I try to only do it if a really have to and this is one of those times. If someone doesn’t want to continue reading, you have been warned. Our rights as women to obtain safe abortions by experienced doctors are again at stake. Last Tuesday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed a draconian bill into law that outlaws all abortions after six weeks — before most women even realize they’re pregnant — including in cases of RAPE OR INCEST. This makes Georgia the sixth state to pass such a restrictive six-week abortion ban, joining Ohio, Mississippi, Kentucky, Iowa, and North Dakota. These laws haven’t been passed yet, but lawmakers in these states are trying. Abortion is hard enough for women on an emotional level without having to go through it in potentially unsafe and unsanitary conditions. I myself went through an emergency abortion 2 years ago. I was 4 1/2 months pregnant and shooting on location in Eastern Europe. I went into pre term labor and told that I had to be awake for the whole procedure. It was one of the most horrific experiences I have ever gone through. I still have nightmares about it. I was alone and helpless. When I think about the fact that women might have to face abortions in even worse conditions than I did because of new laws, my stomach turns. I spiraled into one of the worst depressions of my life and had to work extremely hard to find my way out. I took time off of my career. I isolated myself for months and had to keep a strong face for my two amazing kids. I started gardening, eating healthier and going to the gym everyday because I didn’t want to jump into taking anti depressants unless I had tried every other alternative. Thank God I was able to find my way out of that personal hell without turning to medication, but the memory of what I went through and what I lost will be with me till the day I die. Abortion is a nightmare at its best. No woman wants to go through that. But we have to fight to make sure our rights are preserved to obtain a safe one if we need to. I never wanted to speak about this experience. But I cannot remain silent when so much is at stake. #prochoice #prochoicegeneration

A post shared by Milla Jovovich (@millajovovich) on May 14, 2019 at 11:02am PDT

Jovovich isn't the only celebrity to speak out about her abortion following the controversial bills. Both Jameela Jamil and Busy Philipps opened up about their abortions as a way to protest the new legislation.

Jamil revealed she had an abortion when she was young and said it was "the best decision I ever made," calling Georgia's law "upsetting, inhumane, and blatantly demonstrative of hatred of women."

Meanwhile, Philipps once again spoke about the abortion she had at age 15, something she initially revealed in her book, This Will Only Hurt a Little. On her show, Busy Tonight, Philipps said she's "genuinely scared for women and girls all over this country" following the legislation.

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