Milla Jovovich reveals ‘horrific’ emergency abortion as she criticises US laws

By Press Association

May 14 2019, 7:59pm

Actress Milla Jovovich has revealed she under went an emergency abortion as she slammed strict abortion laws in the US (Ian West/PA)

Actress Milla Jovovich has revealed she underwent an emergency abortion as she became the latest celebrity to criticise strict laws in the US.

Georgia became the country’s fourth state this year to try to ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant.

The Georgia law is scheduled to become enforceable in 2020, though it is widely expected to be challenged in court before then.

Jovovich, known for starring in the Resident Evil horror film franchise, shared a deeply personal post to Instagram, telling fans she had an emergency abortion two years ago.

The 43-year-old said she was four-and-a-half months pregnant while shooting on location in eastern Europe when she went into pre-term labour.

View this post on Instagram

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

She said: “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.”

Mother-of-two Jovovich said she “spiralled 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,” she said.

Ukranian-born Jovovich said the experience will “be with me till the day I die”.

Milla Jovovich has spoken out against proposed abortion laws in the US (Ian West/PA)

She added: “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.”

Jovovich is the latest celebrity to speak out against the proposed laws.

Actress Alyssa Milano called for women to join her in a sex strike. The former star of Charmed and Melrose Place urged women to stop having sex “until we get bodily autonomy back”.

British actress Jameela Jamil called the laws “upsetting, inhumane”, saying she once had a termination and that it was the “best decision” she ever made.