As the 2024 presidential election approaches, Sally Field is opening up about her personal abortion experience.

Before the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that protected the right to abortion in the U.S., the two-time Oscar winner shared details of her “traumatic” illegal abortion from 60 years ago. In 2022, about 50 years after Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court overturned the ruling.

Now 77, Field recounted the event in an Instagram video posted on Sunday, Oct. 6. She explained that she was just 17 when she found out she was pregnant. “I still feel ashamed because I was raised in the ’50s, and it’s deeply ingrained in me,” she said, opening the video.

“I had no options—little family support, no money. I had finished high school, but college was never mentioned. I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Field admitted. “And then, I discovered I was pregnant.”

Field revealed that a family friend, a doctor, arranged to take her, his wife, and her mother in his new Cadillac to Tijuana. “We parked on a shady-looking street, it was terrifying. He parked a few blocks away, pointed at a building, handed me an envelope of cash, and told me to go inside and pay,” she recalled.

The Forrest Gump star described the experience as “beyond hideous and life-altering,” adding that there was no anesthetic. “A technician would give me a few puffs of ether, but then take it away, leaving my arms and legs feeling numb and strange. But I was aware of the pain,” she said.

Field added, “It got worse when I realized the technician was abusing me. I had to learn how to move my arms to push him away.” She recalled the embarrassing and terrifying ordeal and said that when it was over, they rushed her out, shouting, “Go, go, go!” as if the building was on fire.

Despite the ordeal, Field expressed gratitude for the family doctor, saying he was “brave” and “would’ve lost his license if anyone found out.” She acknowledged her naivety, sharing that she had never been out of state or on an airplane at that time.

Sally Field Details Traumatic Illegal Abortion: 'We Can't Go Back'

Shortly after the abortion, Field began auditioning. “I wasn’t an actress or even with an agency, but by the end of that year, I was Gidget—the classic all-American girl next door,” she said.

In her video, Field referenced her 2018 memoir In Pieces, explaining that she was seen as the all-American girl, but in reality, many women from her generation were going through similar experiences. She emphasized that many young women today face the same challenges, trying to travel to other states without money or support to get an abortion.

“We can’t go back,” Field urged, calling for collective action to protect women’s health and reproductive rights. “We must rise and fight.”

Sally Field Shared She Had an Illegal Abortion in 1964

In a statement accompanying the video, the Steel Magnolias actress admitted she was initially hesitant to share her story but felt stronger knowing other women had endured similar experiences. She also expressed support for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the upcoming election.

Field encouraged her followers to pay attention to the election and to support candidates and ballot measures that protect reproductive freedom. “We can’t go back,” she said, inviting others to share their stories with her if they felt ready.

Among the many comments on her post, actress Busy Philipps, who shared her own abortion story in her 2018 memoir, responded with love and gratitude, while other celebrities like Elizabeth Perkins and Marcia Cross also expressed their support.