Celebrities who have told their abortion stories following Roe vs Wade ruling

Celebrities have been sharing their own abortion stories following the US Supreme Court’s hugely controversial decision to overturn a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion.

Last week, the US Supreme court ended constitutional protections for abortion that have been in place for nearly 50 years by deciding to overturn the landmark Roe v Wade ruling.

The ruling, which will leave an estimated 356 million women in the US without access to abortion rights, has sent shockwaves round the world and has prompted many women to open up on their own experiences of abortion, including those of many celebrities.

Read more: Meghan Markle says Prince Harry had 'guttural' reaction to US abortion ruling

While some of the A-list are are long-term advocates for abortion rights and regularly open up about the subject, other's have contributed to the conversation by sharing their own personal history of terminations.

Here's a round up of some of the celebrities who have bravely shared their own experiences to help support the fight for abortion rights.

Lily Allen

Lily Allen has spoken out about her own abortion, revealing women should not need to have to "justify" a pregnancy termination with "exceptional reasons".

The singer, 37, who recently appeared on stage at Glastonbury with Olivia Rodrigo to perform her hit song, F*** You, in response to the ruling, shared her own experience of abortion to her Instagram stories.

"I wish people would stop posting examples of exceptional reasons for having abortions," she wrote. "Most people i know, myself included, just didn't want to have a f****** baby. AND THAT IS REASON ENOUGH! WE DON'T HAVE TO JUSTIFY IT.

"It shouldn't have to be said, and I think all these examples just play into the hands of the baddies."

Phoebe Bridgers

After news broke in May 2022 that the Supreme Court planned to vote to overturn Roe V Wade, singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers opened up about her own personal experience of abortion.

"I had an abortion in October of last year while I was on tour," she wrote in a tweet. "I went to Planned Parenthood where they gave me the abortion pill. It was easy. Everyone deserves that kind of access."

Following the ruling last week the star retweeted her original tweet while also showing support to raise funds for abortion rights.

Read more: Abortion in the UK: What you need to know

Laura Prepon

Earlier this week, Orange is the New Black actor Laura Prepon shared how having a termination saved her life. “One of the worst days of my life was when I made the choice to terminate a pregnancy in the second trimester,” she wrote on Instagram and Twitter.

“The devastating truth is that we found out the fetus [sic] would not survive to full term, and that my life was at risk as well. At the time – I had the choice.”

The star went on to say that "everyone has their own story for seeking out this medical procedure" and she empathises with those who have found themselves faced with the "impossible decision".

"I am praying for all of us, that we can get through this challenging time and regain agency over our own bodies," she concluded her powerful post.

Ireland Baldwin

Ireland Baldwin shared her own experiences of abortion in an emotional video shared to TikTok. The model began the clip by revealing that she had been raped when she was a teenager and it had “changed the course of the rest of my life.”

While she didn't get pregnant from that traumatic experience, Baldwin did open up about another time later in her life when she got pregnant unexpectedly with her boyfriend at the time, whom she was "very unhappy" with.

"I chose to get an abortion because I know exactly what it felt like to be born between two people who hated each other," she explained.

"Could I have had that baby and put that baby up for adoption? Maybe? Maybe not. But choosing to raise a baby without my own financial security without a loving and supportive partner. That wasn't gonna work for me. I chose me and I would choose me again. It's your life. It's your choice," she concluded the video.

Read more: Piers Morgan faces backlash for saying 'no woman wants to have an abortion'

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke has has opened up about her thoughts on the US abortion ruling, explaining that her mother, Uma Thurman's right to a legal and safe abortion is the reason she exists.

The Stranger Things star, appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon earlier this week and discussed the recent ruling and expanded on the abortion story her mother shared in an essay last year.

"If she hadn't had it, she wouldn't have become the person that she had become, and I wouldn't exist," she continued.

"Both of my parents' lives would have been derailed if she hadn't have had access to safe and legal healthcare — fundamental healthcare."

Watch: Lily Allen reveals abortion while slamming Roe v. Wade ruling

April Love Geary

April Love Geary, who has three children with fiancé Robin Thicke, has previously opened up about her experience with abortion after receiving messages about the subject on Instagram.

"I've been getting a bunch of DMs saying things like 'how could you support abortion when you're a mother yourself'," she wrote in the caption alongside a picture of her stomach.

"So this is MY body, MY body after having an abortion in 2014, a miscarriage in 2017, delivering a baby in 2018 & 2019," she continued.

"I’m glad I was able to make decisions about MY body without facing any type of punishment. It’s scary to think that women won’t be able to choose to abort if that’s what they want/what’s necessary."

Tess Holiday

Following the Supreme Court ruling Tess Holliday shared a passionate post to Instagram urging those who are upset to "stay mad" and "do whatever you have to do".

The model previously opened up about her own personal experiences of abortion in a powerful post shared to Instagram in which she spoke about the termination she had when she was married with two children.

"My mental health couldn’t handle being pregnant again & I made the best decision for ME & ultimately my family," she wrote.

"It wasn’t the 'easy thing to do', it was excruciating on many levels, but necessary. Do I regret it or question my choice? Not at all."

Meadow Walker

Meadow Walker, the daughter of the late actor, Paul Walker, shared her own abortion experience following the ruling last week, revealing she'd had a termination at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

"Today marks a huge setback in history- a profound injustice to women across the United States," she wrote in an Instagram post.

"There are countless women who have struggled with making the decision to have an abortion. I too have battled with the choice but in 2020, when the world was collapsing during the pandemic, I sought an abortion."

Walker went on to say he was lucky enough to have a great doctor who supported her through the "debilitating process".

"With their help, I am able to be the happy and healthy person I am today. Now, knowing even more women won't have the opportunity to seek safe termination and choose their bodies first is absolutely heartbreaking," she continued.

"In a world that constantly marginalises females, this feels like the biggest assault of them all. Banning abortion doesn't prevent abortions, it prevents safe abortions."

Read more: Over 95% of women who have an abortion do not regret it, study finds

Busy Philipps

Earlier this week, US actor and chat show host shared a video to Instagram of herself and others protesting the Supreme Court Ruling.

"On Friday, the right to make decisions about our own bodies and lives," she wrote in the accompanying caption. "A right we’ve had for almost 50 years – was ripped away from us by this new Supreme Court, a Court whose personal belief’s are NOT shared by the vast majority of Americans.

Philipps has previously spoken about the abortion she had when she was 15.

“I had an abortion when I was 15 years old, and I’m telling you this because I am genuinely really scared for women and girls all over this country,” she said. “And I think that we all need to be talking more and sharing our stories more.”

Alyssa Milano

The Who's The Boss actor has frequently spoken out about abortion rights and has been using her social media platforms to raise awareness about the subject since the ruling.

The activist and mother previously revealed that she chose to have two abortions more than 25 years ago, when she was in her early twenties.

“I knew at that time, I was not equipped to be a mother, and so I chose to have an abortion,” said Milano, in an episode of her podcast, Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry.“I chose. It was my choice. And it was absolutely the right choice for me.

"It was not an easy choice,” she continued. “It was not something I wanted, but it was something that I needed, like most health care is.”