Christina Applegate Reflects on Abortion in New Memoir

In her recently released memoir, “Married… with Children,” actress Christina Applegate shares her experience of having an abortion in 1991, labeling it as “murder.”

Applegate recalls discovering she was pregnant in April 1991. She reflects on her initial thoughts, saying, “Well, yesterday I found out I was 6 1/2 weeks pregnant… I love this being… I always thought if I ever got pregnant at a bad time, I wouldn’t hesitate to have an abortion. Somehow I brushed it off as ‘Oh, whatever. It isn’t even a baby yet.’ But I realized that’s not true. This creature’s incredible — it makes me feel whole and safe,” as she reads from a diary entry from that time.

“I’m freaking pregnant, and I’m ending my child’s life on Thursday. I keep thinking, ‘Where can I go to recover from this?’ His family will despise me when they find out I ended their family member’s life. They don’t believe in this. But, I can’t keep this baby; I have work to do to entertain the world.”

Many women might rationalize their decisions by saying “it isn’t even a baby yet,” as Applegate highlights. Yet, she recognizes that abortion means taking a life, and she made that choice prioritizing her career.

Later in her memoir, Applegate reads a poem she wrote for her unborn child. “Hello, little thing. I feel you every moment. Such a tiny existence, yet your impact is immense. You’re a miracle. I love you deeply, but it can’t be your time. I know you didn’t choose this, but please forgive me. You’ve changed me, showing me that something matters more than myself. Mommy can’t be with you now, but remember, she loves you more than any other miracle.”

These words may seem like reflections of remorse, but they are also the musings of someone acutely aware of the gravity of her choices. Applegate wishes to believe that her child will “live through another,” but the reality is that the child lost their life decades ago for her to pursue her career.