Many women facing unplanned pregnancies and financial challenges often feel that abortion is their only option.

Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting come with financial costs. For those starting from a financially unstable position, an unexpected pregnancy can understandably trigger feelings of fear and anxiety. It’s important to note that among women who chose to end their pregnancies “a majority of women who had abortions (60%) reported they would have carried to term if they had received more support from others and/or had more financial security (1).”

Finances are among the most significant factors people consider when making pregnancy decisions. Therefore, it’s essential to be aware of all the resources available to you. At Clearway, we offer resource appointments where we will help you access local support, empowering you throughout your pregnancy and beyond. 

Medical Care & Insurance During Pregnancy 

If you are pregnant in the state of Massachusetts and your income is up to 205% of the federal poverty level (FPL), you are immediately eligible for MassHealth, even if a previous application has been rejected. You are also eligible for coverage up to 12 months postpartum if you are an individual with income up to 200% of the FPL, regardless of your immigration status.  

Navigating the insurance process can feel a bit complicated and scary. Good news, there are organizations prepared to help you do that!

The Family Health Center of Worcester is equipped to offer you in-person support navigating the health insurance process. Their Insurance Navigators include a team of bilingual/bicultural Health Benefits Advisors who provide individual counseling sessions to anyone who needs help with a health insurance application. If you do not qualify for free insurance, they will help you apply for insurance using the sliding fee scale. A sliding fee scale is a pricing model that adjusts the cost of a service based on a person’s income level. The goal of a sliding fee scale is to make services more affordable for people with lower incomes. Learn more about their hours and services on their website.

Government Assistance 

Many government programs exist to support you during your pregnancy and beyond.  

Let’s explore a few of them: 

1. Mass WIC: The Women, Infants, & Children Nutrition Program provides healthy foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other services free of charge to qualifying families. WIC is here to help you stay healthy!  
2. SNAP: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly food stamps) provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being. Check out their application to see if you qualify for benefits. 
3. CHIP: The Children’s Health Insurance Program provides health coverage to children in families with low to moderate incomes. In Massachusetts, pregnant women are also eligible for CHIP with coverage up to 200% FPL through the CHIP unborn child option. Massachusetts operates a combination CHIP program called MassHealth. 

These are just to name a few! TAFDC and EARDC are other economic assistance (cash benefit) programs in Massachusetts. CHAMP is Massachusetts’ public housing program. You can also use the Find Shelter Tool to look for housing support options. Explore your options and apply for what you need! If you need support getting started, talk to your Clearway advocate. 

Unexpected Pregnancy: Community Resources 

Housing Resources: If you’re facing housing vulnerability or homelessness, there are many resources in the Springfield and Worcester area. These include: 

1. Way Finders: Way Finders offers emergency financial housing assistance funds, support with rehousing, job retention support and workforce training, first-time home ownership workshops, and more. 
2. Ascentria Care Alliance: Ascentria’s Young Parent Living Program supports low-income, single, teenage mothers and their small children who might otherwise be homeless or living in unsafe situations/substandard housing, providing programs to build individual strengths and help young families move toward self-sufficiency.
3. Friendly House: The Friendly House (located in Worcester, MA) provides emergency shelter, housing searches, and other services to help families become self-sufficient. They serve both families with children and expectant parents who are homeless. 
4. Maternity Homes: Maternity homes in the Springfield and Worcester areas include Christina’s House in Springfield and Visitation House in Worcester. These homes are designed to provide pregnant women with a variety of services, which may include prenatal care, delivery assistance, postpartum care, emotional support, spiritual support and education about parenting and childcare.

Food Pantries: If you need food assistance, the application processes for Mass WIC and/or SNAP may take some time. If you are facing immediate food insecurity, many local food pantries offer free grocery assistance to people in the community. Some of these include:

1. First Baptist Church of Amherst: Open every Wednesday from 2-4PM
2. Bethany Food Pantry of Agawam: Open Mondays and Fridays, 12:30-2PM 
3. Friendly House of Worcester: Food & Diaper Pantries (Various Locations and Hours) 
4. Worcester County Food Bank: Use their agency locator to find your nearest food pantry or community meal program.

Church Support: Local churches can be an impactful source of strength, support, and encouragement. Many churches offer support groups for new and/or single moms such as Embrace Grace and Embrace Life. You do not have to attend church services to receive support from a local faith community. Churches can offer mentorship, financial support, and love without expecting anything in return. Talk to your Clearway Advocate for help getting connected to a local church community who can walk alongside you. 

Empower Yourself: Make a Budget 

So far, we have focused on some different resources that can help support and empower you in your pregnancy journey. In addition to the outside help you may be receiving, there are also some personal changes you can make that will help you become more independent and resourceful. One of the best ways to start is by making a simple budget! 

She Might is an online community for unexpected motherhood that offers a plethora of great advice regarding career, money, and budgeting. Check out a few of their articles: 

• How to Financially Prepare for an Unexpected Baby 
• How to Find a Reliable and Affordable Infant Daycare 
• 11 Financial Tips to Survive Unpaid Maternity Leave 
• Resources for Facing Eviction During Pregnancy 

You can also check out one of our articles on Budgeting During Unplanned Pregnancy. Remember, you CAN do this! If you have a partner, budgeting is a great practice to do together. Knowing the resources you currently have and planning according to your means sets you up for a more financially stable future. and and are well-informed on all your options. 

Free Pregnancy Confirmation Services 

Congratulations! Thank you for sticking with us to the end!

We’re hopeful that this article gave you some ideas to get the help that you need to move confidently forward with your pregnancy. We understand that unplanned pregnancy can be challenging, but we want you to view it as a blessing, and we believe you can be empowered to do so.

At Clearway Clinic, we offer all of our services for free, we do not want cost to be a barrier for you to receive help. Here you can confirm your pregnancy via ultrasound, get tested and treated for STIs, take prenatal health education classes, and receive support accessing resources. Our nurses will also provide you with information regarding all your pregnancy options, including abortion, adoption, and parenting. You can ask any questions you have. All free of charge! We are here for you, rooting for you. Be brave!

Chat with us to schedule your pregnancy confirmation and resource appointment today. 

Footnotes:

1. Reardon D C, Rafferty K A, Longbons T (May 11, 2023) The Effects of Abortion Decision Rightness and Decision Type on Women’s Satisfaction and Mental Health. Cureus 15(5): e38882. doi:10.7759/cureus.38882