WASHINGTON (WTHR) — Actress and activist Alyssa Milano revealed that she had two abortions in 1993. She made the revelation on Sunday in her podcast "Sorry Not Sorry," in an episode focusing on anti-abortion bills across the country and why some women choose to have the procedure.
"I'm Alyssa Milano, and I've had an abortion. I control my own body," Milano says in the introduction.
Most of the episode features other women who have had abortions telling their stories. Then, Milano opened up about her own experience.
Milano did not say who her partner was when she got pregnant but said she was in love for the first time "in the breathless way you can only be in love when you are young."
Milano said she was taking birth control at the time for several reasons. She knew she was not ready to be a mother. She also said her focus was on her career as the sitcom that made her famous, "Who's The Boss," had ended and she was getting into some film projects. On top of that, she was taking an acne drug that was likely to lead to birth defects. But, she still got pregnant.
"I chose to have an abortion. I chose. It was my choice," Milano said. "And it was absolutely the right choice for me. It was not an easy choice. It was not something I wanted, but it was something that I needed — like most health care is."
Then a few months later, she got pregnant again.
"Once again, I made the right decision to end that pregnancy," Milano said.
She also decried what she indicates is a double standard in which women are criticized for sometimes wanting sex simply for pleasure, the same as men.
Milano said had she not decided to have the abortions, she would not have what she has now.
"I would not have my children – my beautiful, perfect, loving, kind and inquisitive children – who have a mother who was so very, very ready for them," Milano said. She also said she would not have her husband nor her career.
