KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Americans are reacting to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, including women who had an abortion.
"This is a lifelong decision and there are lifelong consequences that can happen," Kelly Carter said.
At 19, Carter decided to get an abortion.
It's a decision she regrets.
"I went into depression. I went into the hurt that I felt inside. I started abusing myself," she said.
Carter said she felt rushed and not given alternatives leading up to her decision.
Now, she advocates for women to consider another option.
As a result of the Supreme Court's ruling, federal protections for abortion are gone and now are decided by states.
"I was very excited to see that we were being able to as a state to make up their own mind how they want to pursue this," Carter said.
"We need to make sure that government stays out of these personal decisions," Mandy Culbertson said.
Culbertson had an abortion when she was a 19-year-old college student.
"I was not ready to delay my education and put my life on hold just to continue that pregnancy," she said. "Abortion for me was a lifesaving decision."
Culbertson now advocates for other women to have an opportunity to make their own decision on whether to have an abortion.
"You know someone that's had an abortion. You love someone that's had an abortion and if they haven't told you about their abortion, it's probably because they can't trust you with that story," she said.
