Lena Dunham has used her latest podcast to discuss a ‘confession’ of hers: “I still haven’t had an abortion, but I wish I had”.

Speaking on an episode of the Women of the Hour series, ‘Choice’, the Girls creator talked about her steadfast support for reproductive rights, the good work of Planned Parenthood and the stigma surrounding abortion.

“One day, when I was visiting a Planned Parenthood in Texas a few years ago, a young girl walked up to me and asked me if I’d like to be a part of her project in which women share their stories of abortions,” she said. “I sort of jumped. ‘I haven’t had an abortion,’ I told her. I wanted to make it really clear to her that as much as I was going out and fighting for other women’s options, I myself had never had an abortion.

“And I realised then that even I was carrying within myself stigma around this issue. Even I, the woman who cares as much as anybody about a woman’s right to choose, felt it was important that people know I was unblemished in this department.”

She added: “Now I can say that I still haven’t had an abortion, but I wish I had.”

Her comments have sparked outrage on social media, with many accusing the writer of trivialising the procedure. She has since issued an apology on Instagram. 

“I truly hope a distasteful joke on my part won't diminish the amazing work of all the women who participated (in the podcast)”, Dunham wrote. “I would never, ever intentionally trivialize the emotional and physical challenges of terminating a pregnancy.”

The original podcast includes stories from other women who actually have had terminations, as well as information on pro-choice activism.

Listen to it in full below.