Property Virgins star Egypt Sherrod has revealed she had an abortion after she was sexually assaulted at 15.
The HGTV host, who is also the face of spinoff show Flipping Virgins, opened up about her ordeal for the first time during an emotional appearance on TV One’s Sister Circle.
The 42-year-old real estate broker choked back tears as she told co-hosts Rashan Ali, Trina Braxton, Syleena Johnson, and Quad Webb-Lunceford, how she became pregnant as a teen after being raped.
‘I was almost not going to share this, but when I was young I was raped and had to get an abortion because I did not want to be 15 years old having a baby,’ Sherrod said.
‘And it was because of being able to go to Planned Parenthood that I am sitting here today.
‘I’m the responsible mother of three girls, but I may have not had that chance if at 15 I was made to have a child.’
Property Virgins host Egypt Sherrod, 42, revealed she had an abortion after she was sexually assaulted when she was 15
Sherrod and her husband DJ Mike Jackson two daughters, and step daughter
Sherrod’s revelation came in response to Planned Parenthood’s decision to pull out of the federal family funding program after the Trump Administration banned federal clinics from referring patients to abortion providers last month.
She said the move, which will strip federal funding from the organization, will make abortions less accessible for certain women.
‘There are a lot of women who suffer in silence, but this steals an option away from them,’ she added.
‘I will never tell someone that they can or can not have an abortion, I believe as women, this is our body, and we should have the right to choose,’ she declared, ‘[especially] when there are extenuating circumstances.’
Sherrod, who has endured a storied career in radio and television in addition to running her own real estate company, is now married to DJ Mike Jackson and the couple are raising their children in Atlanta.
She is also the author of book Keep Calm…It’s Just Real Estate: Your No-Stress Guide to Buying a Home, and has been a contributor on the Maury Show; as well as hosting HGTV’s White House Christmas Special, the Rose Parade, and the HGTV Urban Oasis Giveaways.
She’s also made recurring appearances as a real estate expert on NBC’s Today Show.
The couple welcomed their second daughter Harper Skye, in February, – but Sherrod revealed she had battled infertility issues
Sherrod, who welcomed her second daughter Harper Skye, in February, admitted she had battled infertility issues as well as fibroids and endometriosis.
She revealed doctors told her it was likely impossible she would be able to conceive for a third time and after contemplating adoption, the couple decided to close the chapter on having another baby.
But during a trip to African when Sherrod was 41, she discovered she was pregnant, which she jokingly called, ‘immaculate conception.’
Sherrod and her husband are currently featured on the OWN Network series Black Love, where they are sharing their journey through marriage to help and inspire other couples.
Sherrod spoke at the 2019 Black Love Summit last month where she candidly spoke about how postpartum depression affected her marriage
Last month, she appeared at the 2019 Black Love Summit in Atlanta where she candidly spoke about how her pregnancy affected the couple’s sex life.
‘When the baby came, my body changed a lot. My emotions changed, hormones, and physically I didn’t even recognize myself in the mirror,’ she said.
‘I didn’t want my husband to see me naked, let alone be intimate with one another anymore. I was depressed. And, when you are in a depressed state, it’s very difficult — sometimes you don’t even realize you’re depressed.’
Sherrod later learned she was suffering postpartum depression which put a strain on their marriage.
‘I really couldn’t tell him, “I don’t feel pretty, I don’t feel sexy’… He was frustrated with me for a while because I just was not myself,’ she said.
Sherrod said the two were able to get through their rough patch by seeking professional help and later incorporating romance into their lives again.