Taslima immigrated from India six months ago. She was 18 years old and had been accepted from across the world to the University of California, Berkeley. The first person in her family to go to college, her parents had put all of their hopes and financial resources into getting her a degree at one of the world’s premier universities.

The first person in her family to go to college, her parents had put all of their hopes and financial resources into getting her a degree at one of the world’s premier universities.

Her first semester of college, Taslima met a boy. He was a great guy, they fell in love, and decided to have sex. Taslima wasn’t familiar with the university resources for birth control, and became pregnant within a few months of dating. She was terrified, but also knew exactly what she needed to do. She couldn’t raise a child by herself in a country that was not her own, and she couldn’t drop out of school and return home, abandoning her dreams and those of her family.

Taslima wasn’t familiar with the university resources for birth control, and became pregnant within a few months of dating.

Because abortion was a covered benefit under her student health insurance, Taslima was able to come to Planned Parenthood for a safe, early abortion procedure. She also got an IUD the same day, ensuring that this wouldn’t happen again – that she could finish college and have a child in the future when she was ready. It’s not fair that she had the opportunity to advance herself through education only because she was at an elite university with good health insurance, and that someone else would be forced to sacrifice her opportunities to get out of poverty.

It’s not fair that she had the opportunity to advance herself through education only because she was at an elite university with good health insurance, and that someone else would be forced to sacrifice her opportunities to get out of poverty.