For Professionals
Teens and young adults experiencing an unintended pregnancy can present themselves in your office feeling scared and trapped. They may feel extreme pressure from a partner, friends, or their family to take a certain course of action. This state of mind is not conducive to making decisions that they feel good about. They may even have trauma associated with this pregnancy. Any additional pressure in their decision could lead to further emotional or mental distress. According to hhh.gov (1), in 2017 it was found that 28% of adolescent girls ages 15-17 ended their pregnancies with abortion. The same source reports that in 2011 75% of teen pregnancies are unintended. Because of the increased risk for mental illness connected to abortion1, it is imperative that adolescents (both those considering abortion as well as those who have experienced abortion) receive adequate counseling from a compassionate and educated source.
They need a safe person to talk about how they feel who won’t pressure them to do something.
Young people need information about their options. They need space to process and consider what they want. You are there with them because you care about them, but you may not be able to provide all these things. At Clearway, we’d like to support you in your role by being a place where you can confidently refer your teens. Like you, we don’t want them to feel trapped or afraid or pressured. They have the right to make their own decision about this pregnancy, and it should be an empowered one. We will offer education and resources to empower them in their decision.
You also may see adolescents coming to you with symptoms of depression or anxiety or grief after an abortion.
Asking for support provides a unique challenge for them because of the secrecy and stigma which often surrounds the procedure. Still, grief is too powerful an emotion to ignore. It is imperative for them to experience compassionate, non-judgmental contact. Additionally, they need to receive information which supports their experience and removes their sense of isolation. They need to know that they are not alone in their experience. We offer one-on-one support for after-abortion clients, as well as options for grief groups with others who have experienced abortion. We specialize in working with any woman experiencing this type of disenfranchised grief and are committed to supporting her as she grieves.
At Clearway, they will receive:
An advocate who will listen to them and provide a safe place for them to talk.
Access to our program to heal from abortion trauma and the opportunity to participate individually or in a group.
If they are still pregnant, they will receive non-judgmental education about all their options. They can receive a free pregnancy test and an ultrasound. They can meet with a registered nurse to get their questions answered.
All of our services are provided free of charge. Please call for more information or to just speak with someone about our Pregnancy Medical Center and After-Abortion Care program.
Written by Amy G., L.I.C.S.W.
Resources
- https://opa.hhs.gov/adolescent-health/reproductive-health-and-teen-pregnancy/trends-teen-pregnancy-and-childbearing
- Journal of Psychiatric Research; October, 2008; Induced abortion and anxiety, mood and substance disorders: Isolating the effects of abortion in the national comorbidity survey; Coleman, Coyle, Shuping, Rue
- Journal of Medical Ethics; August 28, 2012; Abortion and Regret; Greasley, K.
- When Grief Is Complicated, 2017, Doka, K. & Tucci, A.; Hospice Foundation of America
- NIH: National Library of Medicine, Relationship between induced abortion and the incidence of depression, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, and somatoform disorder in Germany; July, 2019, Jacob, L., Kostev, K. Gerhard, C. Kalder, M.
