Sally Field Swamped With Love After Revealing She Lived Through 'Every Woman's Nightmare' By Undergoing Anesthetic-Free Abortion Aged 17

Sally Field has received an outpouring of support and numerous messages of gratitude after she opened up about her harrowing abortion experience.

The Hollywood icon has decided to share her extremely personal story on social media as part of her endorsement of U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris, RadarOnline.com can report.

Celebrities and fans took to the comments section to applaud Sally for sharing her terrifying experience of having to travel across the border as a teenager to get an abortion.

Dawson's Creek star Busy Philipps, who has also opened up about her own abortion in the past, wrote: "I just love you and the beautiful family you have. Thank you."

Big actress Elizabeth Perkins praised Sally as "a courageous beacon of light and hope".

The actress also inspired a number of her fans to come forward with their own personal experiences of dealing with dangerous and constrictive reproductive rights in pre-Roe v. Wade America.

In an emotional Instagram video, Sally, 77, revealed she fell pregnant at 17, and had to travel to Mexico to obtain an illegal termination. She and her mother, Margaret, were driven to Tijuana by their doctor, who was also a close family friend.

Sally, who landed her star-making breakout role on Gidget around this time, recalled they "parked on a really scroungy-looking street".

The doctor handed the young girl an envelope filled with cash and carefully instructed her to enter a particular building before promptly returning to the car.

After the arrangements had been made, Sally had the procedure - although she says she was given "no anaesthetic".

Alarmingly, the Steel Magnolias star also described being molested by the assisting technician before the procedure had commenced.

Sally said she was indebted to the doctor for his "generosity" and "bravery" in performing the procedure because he "would've lost his license if anyone had found out".

In the accompanying caption to her video post, the Academy Award-winning actress, now a mother of three grown sons, claimed her own life experience is "one of the reasons why so many of us are supporting" Kamala and her running mate Tim Walz.

The 80 for Brady actress supports the Democratic nominee for her policies on women's issues and abortion rights for all Americans.

She wrote: "Everyone, please, pay attention to this election, up and down the ballot, in every state – especially those with ballot initiatives that could protect reproductive freedom. PLEASE. WE CAN'T GO BACK!!"

Have a tip? Send it to us! Email RadarOnline.com at tips@radaronline.com.