While still a 17-year-old high school student, Rebekah became pregnant with her first child. Determined not to become a stereotypical teenage mother, she managed to graduate early, get accepted into Sacramento State University and chose life, and parenting, for her first-born.  

During her first year of college, however, Rebekah realized she was in an unhealthy and potentially dangerous relationship. 

“I was about halfway through my freshman year of college and my relationship was physically and verbally abusive, and my young son was seeing it unfold. I knew I needed to leave,” Rebekah said. “But, right as I did, I found out I was pregnant again.”

This news was the culmination of Rebekah’s fears.“I was living with my parents,” Rebekah said. “My dad had always said, we`ve done a lot for you with your first pregnancy, so don`t ever let there be a second under my roof. Otherwise, I will kick you out.”

For the sake of her son, Eli, Rebekah began to consider her options. In her mind, there was only one—abortion. 

“I believed that having another baby would hurt my son’s life. I’d be losing my family’s support,” Rebekah said. “There goes our home, finishing college, and all of our financial, emotional, and practical support.” Though she was a Christian, “it was mind over matter—that there was no other way out and that God would just have to forgive me; after all, my heavenly father was forgiving, and my earthly father was not.”

After searching online, Rebekah learned about chemical/medication abortion and visited a clinic in Sacramento, CA. Abortion via pills is increasingly common and marketed as safe, convenient, less expensive, and easier to hide. 

“I was about six weeks pregnant and determined to start the chemical abortion that day,” Rebekah said. “I’m on the table and the tech comes in. I’d had a baby before and my ob-gyn showed me the ultrasound. This time, however, I waited for her to flip the screen. She never did. It was so strange to me that she wouldn’t let me see the monitor!” 

Rebekah caught a glimpse of the ultrasound print-out and asked if she could keep it, but was informed she would have to write a letter to the clinic’s director and pay a $35 fee. After becoming increasingly frustrated, she visited a Planned Parenthood facility in Sacramento. 

At this appointment, Planned Parenthood staff told Rebekah that although she was now seven weeks pregnant, they weren’t seeing a heartbeat and didn’t know whether it was a viable pregnancy. Because they were unable to draw blood, Rebekah was forced to return a week later and her abortion was, again, put on hold. 

The day was March 13, 2013. She walked into her final abortion appointment, and by this time, she was nearly eight weeks pregnant. 

“I’m holding the RU486 abortion pill in a cup and we’re talking about how simple it will be. I kept thinking, chemical abortions are supposed to be less invasive and less painful. My concern was that it would be easy to hide since I was living with my parents.” The clinic assured her it would be.

Deciding she had no other option, Rebekah took the first abortion pill and was sent on her way. “The clinic worker explained that the first pill would end my pregnancy. I was told the second pills were to be taken the next day, at home and over the toilet, and they would just expel my pregnancy.” “Looking back, I regret not asking how this all worked and not advocating for myself and my unborn baby more, but fear consumed me.” “I wish I had known that that first pill deprived my baby of progesterone, thus ending his life and that the second pills were used to induce labor in full-term pregnant women.”

It was a decision she instantly regretted. 

“I got into my car and thought, ‘Oh Lord, what did I just do?’ I started thinking about my son at home that I adored. I started thinking about the baby I was carrying and what that pill was doing to the baby. I started crying and praying,” Rebekah said. “It also hit me that the next day, March 14, the day I was to finish the abortion, was Eli`s first birthday. It would forever be a day I brought into this world and took another one out.”

While still sitting in the parking lot of Planned Parenthood, Rebekah googled options for reversing the abortion pill. After a seemingly fruitless search, she stumbled across AbortionPillReversal.com. 

On the site was a number, 1-877-558-0333, for women having second thoughts about taking the abortion pill. Although she felt ashamed to speak to anyone pro-life, Rebekah summoned the courage to dial the number. 

“A nurse explained to me that a new reversal-protocol had been recently released, which called for progesterone injections being put back into your body. She then told me I still had a chance of saving the baby.” 

Rebekah was referred to a doctor two hours away who was willing to give the injections a try.

“The doctor was hopeful, but it wasn’t 100 percent,” Rebekah said. “He immediately started progesterone until I hit about 13 or 14 weeks.”

Meanwhile, Rebekah’s family eventually found out and offered support she never imagined she`d receive. Her father told her, “when I threatened to kick you out, I was hoping it would scare you into not getting pregnant again. I never thought it would scare you into aborting my grandchild.” Through this experience, her mother also revealed to her that she had been forced into abortion as a teenager and that she wished she had talked to her about it when she was younger.  

Meanwhile, Rebekah was receiving multiple phone calls from Planned Parenthood wondering why she had not returned to her follow-up appointment to ensure the abortion had been completed. 

Eventually, she returned Planned Parenthood’s call to inform them of her decision to keep her child. She was told not only was her attempt to save her child likely impossible, but that if the baby lived, he would likely have severe fetal anomalies and she would put her own life at risk in the process.

“It wasn’t like I owed them any money and yet they were so angry,” Rebekah said. “I don’t know if they were so misinformed or if they were just lying.” 

Seven months later, Rebekah gave birth to a perfectly healthy baby boy named Zechariah, which means “the Lord remembers” a name she thinks is perfect for the little boy who was saved mid-abortion. He is now seven years old, healthy, and very smart. She also stayed in school and graduated from William Jessup University in 2017. Soon after, she married her husband, Kramer Hagan, and added two more children, Lydia and Jonah, to their family. Rebekah now works for Heartbeat International, where she helps women in similar situations and shares her story at events across the nation.

“Having a baby doesn’t ruin your life, it just changes it,” Rebekah said. “I’ve met so many women who regret their abortions but never met a woman who regretted having her child. Abortion is so permanent. It’s forever, and It’s going to change your life.” She went on to express, “I never imagined my life being as normal and amazing as it is now. All of this was waiting on my ‘yes’ to choosing life and ‘yes’ to following God`s plan. I am so grateful for the second chance at ‘choice’ that abortion pill reversal gave me.”