QUICK FACTS: Birth Control Risks and Long Term Health Birth control methods have become commonplace and there are many more methods available today than the traditional “pill” and condom that have been around for decades. It’s easy to get confused with so many, so what are they and what are the risks to women’s long term health? Depending on the type of birth control you use and your own health …
abortion
Loss and the Grief Cycle // Grief comes when we have lost someone or something that was important to us. If could be something like loss of a loved one, job loss, losing a home or moving to a new place, the breakup of a relationship, chronic illness or other things that bring trauma or change to our life. Symptoms of grief also can appear when it comes to miscarriage …
Steps to Take Before You Have an Abortion // The best decisions are well informed decisions. Be sure to take these steps to endure your long-term health and well-being. Breathe. It’s going to be okay to give yourself some time to think and read up on all your options Find out if you are really pregnant. You can do this by taking a home pregnancy test or at a health clinic. There …
Am I In An Unhealthy Relationship? // Sometimes relationships can be tricky. Relationships should always be give and take; both people giving to each other and both people receiving back what enables everyone to do better and be better. At times it is important to have healthy compromise in a relationship in order to communicate well and keep peace. It is a sign that the relationship as a whole is …
#MeToo, Pregnancy & Abortion // The #MeToo movement was begun to bring awareness to the growing problem of sexual violence in our culture. Sexual assault is any unwanted, unlawful physical contact. RAINN, the national sexual assault hotline, defines it as “illegal sexual contact that usually involved force upon a person without consent.” Statistics from RAINN reveal that sexual assault in America occurs every 73 seconds. And every 9 minutes that …
What to Expect: Early Pregnancy Limited Ultrasound (Up to 13 Weeks) // If this is your first experience with pregnancy, one thing that is helpful to know is what to expect for ultrasound. It’s such a common occurrence now with modern medical technology, but ultrasounds are not just for fun to see what the baby looks like, they have medical purpose. Visiting an early pregnancy clinic is a good first …
Post Abortion: Psychological Effects // At first after an abortion, most women report feelings of relief after the pressure “to get it over with” and move on with life. However, lasting psychological effects of abortion experiences are regularly being documented and growing according to studies. Studies have shown there is an average of 5-10 year period of denial resulting from the trauma of the experience and causing a woman to …
QUICK FACTS: Birth Control // How can I be pregnant if I was on birth control? The first and most important thing you should know about birth control methods is that none of them are 100% effective to prevent pregnancy. The CDC, established medical community and the companies that produce birth control all acknowledge this. STD’s – Most birth control methods do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Condoms can reduce the risk but not …
Warning Signs of Suicide // Suicide rates are highest among teens, young adults and the elderly but can affect anyone. It is not a diagnosable illness, it’s a result of other events in a person’s life or treatable disorders like depression, PTSD, substance abuse and others. Sometimes if an unplanned pregnancy or past abortion causes distress, trauma, remorse or regret these signs can appear. Know the warning signs so that …
Mandatory Reporting & Pregnancy Centers // Mandatory reporting is required by law and means that certain people are responsible to notify government authorities of any individual or situation in which there is suspected child abuse or child neglect. All states in the United States have statutes in the place for mandated reporting. Persons required to report may vary slightly from state to state, but it is any occupation that has …
Baby Development – First Trimester // When you go to a pregnancy clinic or an OB/GYN office they will always ask you what the first day of your last period was (LMP = last menstrual period). This is important to know if possible, because it gives the doctor a general idea about how far along you are in the pregnancy. LMP is not 100% accurate because there can be variations …
Getting Your Pregnancy Off To a Healthy Start // If you are choosing to continue your pregnancy and parent, your obstetrics doctor (OB) most likely won’t schedule an appointment to see you until you are around 11-12 weeks along. This will be the end of the first trimester! The first trimester is the most important time for the development of the fetus. He/she will require certain vitamins and minerals for …
Quick Facts: Plan B (“Morning After”) Pill // Works by delaying or preventing the release of an egg from the ovary Is NOT the same as the abortion pill (RU 486) Is NOT meant to be used as a regular birth control method Will NOT protect against sexually transmitted disease (STD) If it has been more than 24 hours after unprotected intercourse it may not be effective If conception has …
Why Have an Ultrasound if I Am Going to Abort? // If you think you may be pregnant and are thinking about terminating it is important to get a pre-termination exam (positive pregnancy test and ultrasound) beforehand to ensure your own health. Why? You may have an STD and not know it. If you have a sexually transmitted disease, and it is not treated before an abortion procedure it can spread …
When Everything in You Wants to Give Up GRIT. It’s a term developed by psychologist Angela Duckworth and it refers to a person’s ability to persevere no matter what challenges or obstacles come their way. Life is full of those, isn’t it? One moment things are moving along great and the next something hits us out of left field, and leaves us reeling. Obstacles and challenges can come in many …
02What Pain Medications Can I Take During Pregnancy? During pregnancy it is important to check with your doctor before taking any medication. Common headaches or colds can still happen during pregnancy, but you just need to be aware of what is safe to take while pregnant. Whatever you take orally for medications will also circulate to the developing fetus. This is why it is very important to consult your …
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Seeking Legal Abortion You need to protect your own health and your own legal rights! There are laws in place to protect you. You have the right to: Insist that your abortion be performed by a licensed physician only To know the medical malpractice history of a physician To know if the doctor has an insurance policy that protects you in case of any injury during …
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS: Anxiety & Depression Life has its ups and downs for everyone, and as a result we can quickly swing between the positive and negative feelings associated with life events. Feeling sad or anxious is normal for everyone, but sometimes when difficult situations become long-term or extremely stressful, our mental and emotional state can lapse into more serious levels of anxiety and depression. Unplanned pregnancy, dealing with …
PARENTING – It’s Not All Bad // Being a parent definitely has its challenges, but there is an infinite number of joyful and wonderful things about being a mom or dad. Parenthood will actually surprise and excite you, so don’t be so quick to accept everyone else’s negative talk. Here are some great things about being a parent: Unexplainable Love: You will experience a love that goes beyond all other loves …
WHAT TO EXPECT: Ultrasounds Ultrasound varies depending on your medical provider. Most OBs will have basic recommended ultrasounds done but they are only ordered when medically necessary; it’s not just for fun. Basically, there are two recommended ultrasounds*: an early ultrasound to verify viability and a second trimester ultrasound. There is no known risk of fetal harm from ultrasound, however, the effects of repeated or excessive exposure to ultrasound is …
Spiritual Health and Decision Making As individuals there are many layers to what the medical field considers our “health” – physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. In fact, body, mind and spirit are intricately linked; these make up who we are as human beings. Medical studies have been regularly conducted in recent decades and there is growing evidence revealing that spiritual health plays an important part in all other areas of …
ONE TOO MANY? Do you already have children and are you considering abortion? Are you thinking things like: I just don’t know if I can go through another pregnancy. Do I have enough energy to take care of another one? What will my boyfriend think when I tell him? Will I have enough money to support another child? I was just beginning to feel more free again and now …
Abortion Pill Reversal Your right to choose includes the right to change your mind. WHAT IS A MEDICAL ABORTION? There are two types of abortion: surgical and medical. Surgical is the procedure (surgery) in which a doctor goes in to physically remove the baby from the womb, terminating it’s life. Medical abortion is a more recent option in which pills (known as RU-486) are prescribed to cause the termination of …
Post-Miscarriage Care It can take a few weeks to a month to recover physically from a miscarriage. Talk to your doctor before trying to get pregnant again to be informed or have any medical testing done. Depending on when the miscarriage occurred, the pregnancy hormones can remain in your blood for 1 to 2 months after you miscarry. Most women get their period again 4 to 6 weeks after a …
Prenatal Vitamins Prenatal Vitamins are a daily multivitamin designed specifically to provide the added nutrients and minerals that a developing fetus needs, especially in the first few months, as well as replacing what the mother needs while the baby draws it out of her system. In fact, women who are planning to get pregnant are advised by the medical community to start prenatals even before they get pregnant. No matter …
Pregnant and Homeless? Many times when a woman who is still living in her parents’ home discovers that she is pregnant, the very real possibility of being kicked out of her home is a scary reality. When someone is facing homelessness, life changes rapidly and decision making regarding the pregnancy can be affected based on circumstances. But deep down you may feel that having an abortion is not right for …
Pregnancy & Gestational Diabetes Diabetes that develops during pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Gestation means “during pregnancy.” Diabetes is a condition which affects blood sugar levels in the body and does require medical oversight. Gestational diabetes is something that can develop when a woman is pregnant but would not otherwise have diabetic issues. It causes high blood sugar and can affect both the mother’s and the baby’s health if left …
The Father of the Baby – Why He Is Important Research has shown that the baby’s dad has the most influence over the pregnancy decision A majority of women choose an abortion because they do not want to be a single parent or may be having relationship problems Other statistics show that the father of the baby has significant influence out the outcome of the pregnancy, and he also affects …
Pregnancy and Exercise Many people think that as soon as they get pregnant they need to stop all physical activity and be careful in case something may happen to the baby. Although it is important to be very careful when it comes to lifting things – things like boxes, heavy laundry baskets etc – there is no reason to stop all physical activity. In fact, physical exercise is beneficial to …
Prenatal Care Prenatal means “before birth.” Prenatal care is the medical care recommended for pregnant women which monitors the progress of the pregnancy and the health of the unborn baby. It can also identify potential complications that can be either prevented or treated early. The consequences of not having prenatal care can be very serious. It also ensures your health so that you can stay healthy and strong not only …
Ovulation is the brief time in a woman’s menstrual cycle in which she can get pregnant. Each month an ovary will release an egg for possible fertilization. Generally ovulation happens about two weeks after your period, but it can vary. If you have sex during this time and sperm from your partner finds that egg, it can fertilize the egg and pregnancy begins. Sperm can live in a woman’s …
Mail Order Abortion Pills – What You Need to Know Medical abortion is a recent method in which a licensed medical professional (doctor/clinic) prescribes specific pills to terminate a pregnancy. It is important for you to know that any type of procedure performed or medication taken must be under the supervision of a legal medical provider for your own safety. Unfortunately, there is a growing industry of “mail-order” abortion pills, …
Human Trafficking – What is it? It’s a phrase we are hearing more and more about on the news, internet, social media and other groups we may be involved with. By definition, human trafficking is “the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purpose of forced labor or sexual exploitation.” It is, in fact, modern day slavery. Most often we …
Common Feelings Connected with Unplanned Pregnancy Women facing unplanned pregnancy are often overwhelmed by a host of emotions, most of which are negative in nature. It’s important to recognize that these initial negative emotions are common for all women and you are not alone. Even women planning to become pregnant can get overwhelmed when the reality sets in. Often if you feel unsupported or unable to achieve your goals, it …
Pre-Natal Classes & Education to Take Before Delivery It is important to read up on healthy guidelines for your pregnancy to keep both of you healthy and strong while you are carrying. It is also important to take advantage of classes before the baby arrives to know what to expect for labor and delivery and how to properly care for your baby. These are just as important as keeping yourself …
Nausea Survival Kit Nausea and/or vomiting with pregnancy is very common. If you are pregnant you may experience a wide range of mild nausea to frequent vomiting. It is caused primarily by the pregnancy hormone produced in the body during pregnancy. Generally, it lasts only for the first trimester (3 months). There is no cure for it, unfortunately, but there are things that you can try to help reduce the …
Loss Due to Miscarriage Loss in any form is difficult to cope with, and miscarriage is among the most difficult because there are numerous emotions and thoughts connected with the unknown and unseen aspects of a miscarriage. Miscarriage is the spontaneous loss of a fetus before the 20th week of pregnancy – usually in the first trimester. It is estimated that 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, but the medical …
Signs and Symptoms: Post-Partum Depression Post-partum literally means “after childbirth”. In the days and months following the arrival of a new baby a woman’s body has to adjust hormonally and physically back to “normal”. Women typically can continue to be emotional and experience a wide range of thoughts and feelings from joy to worry as they acclimate to the new demands and responsibilities of motherhood. This is common to all …
QUICK FACTS: Gonorrhea Gonorrhea is a bacterial sexually transmitted infection and is curable with treatment but can have long term effects on your health including sterility and death. It affects over 700,000 people per year. If you are sexually active in any way, you are at risk. Transmission: or how it is spread.Through bodily fluid secretions, unprotected vaginal sex, anal sex or oral sex. An infected mother can pass the infection …
QUICK FACTS: CHLAMYDIA Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection (sometimes called disease) that is bacterial and is curable with treatment but can have long term effects on your health. It affects over 2.8 million people per year. If you are sexually active in any way you are at risk. Transmission: or how it is spread. Through bodily fluid secretions, unprotected sex and can be spread through vaginal, anal or oral sex. …
Abuse Signs and Symptoms Domestic violence/abuse can take many forms (physical, sexual, verbal, emotional) and it is not always observable. It is a “pattern of behavior used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship.” It is not always possible to tell if a relationship will become abusive and can develop as time goes on. It can affect anyone of any race, age, …
Morning Sickness Morning sickness refers to nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite during pregnancy. Despite the name, it can be experienced at any time of the day and sometimes a general feeling of nausea can persist all day long. Every woman is different and even each pregnancy for the same woman can be different. Morning sickness generally happens during the first trimester (first three months). For some women, it can …
Other Reasons for a Missed Period Pregnancy is not always the only reason you would miss your period, in fact, there are a host of reasons why your period might be late. Here are some possible reasons you may not have had your period yet: Puberty: Young women who have recently begun their periods often experience light and irregular menstrual cycles as a result of puberty. It could take quite …
If I’m pregnant, why am I bleeding? Pregnancy is divided into three stages called trimesters (tri meaning “three”). Each trimester is about 13 weeks long. Initial symptoms or indications that you may be pregnant are a missed period, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and light bleeding/spotting. If you are experiencing spotting or bleeding during the first trimester, it is actually very common. Spotting – light bleeding can occur during implantation. This is …
Urine Test or Blood Test: Which is a more accurate pregnancy test? When a woman becomes pregnant, her body begins producing a specific hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). It is the presence and rapid increase of hCG that causes pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and fatigue. There are two types of pregnancy tests that diagnose a pregnancy by detecting the hCG hormone in your system: a urine test and …
Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS) – How At Risk Are You? Up to 70% of women who have had an abortion fall into high risk for PAS. PAS is a type of post-traumatic stress and is defined as the stress reaction experienced by women after having an abortion. The following are factors that can determine how severely a woman experiences PAS symptoms: A crisis surrounding pregnancy The urgency in making an …
Periods and Pregnancy It is important to understand how our own bodies work. Some women do not have the benefit of health education in school or parents who are comfortable talking about sex and a woman’s reproductive system. Although you may feel like having your period every month is an inconvenience, it is a normal, natural function of a woman’s body and a unique gift to carry a new life …
Viability: What Does it Mean? When you discover that you may be pregnant, it is important to determine the viability of the pregnancy before you make any decisions about what to do. Viability means “the ability to survive or live successfully”. There are three things that a licensed sonographer will look for on an ultrasound to determine viability: The presence of a gestational sac. The presence of a fetal pole. …
Pregnancy Does Not Mean Your Life is Over It’s a great time to be a woman! Women have more opportunities afforded to them now for education, career and parenthood than ever before. It used to be that when a woman conceived she would have to drop out of school and give up any hope of school or career. That time is long gone.We no longer have to choose between school/career …
Possible Symptoms After An Abortion For some women, they have an abortion and move on with life. However, for many women, they experience a wide range of not only physical complications – but also emotional symptoms. Every woman is different. Most medical articles and websites will focus only on the physical symptoms after an abortion, so it is wise to be educated on the possible emotional effects as well. An …
Men and Unplanned Pregnancy: Risks of Abortion You may know women who have had abortions, managed their feelings well and gone on with their lives. You may feel that terminating the pregnancy is the best decision for both you and her. Abortion seems like an easy and legal solution but it does have significant risks that you may not understand. That is why it is important that both of you …
Men and Unplanned Pregnancy: Communicating about the Decision The man involved will be affected by the decision, though it is the woman who accepts the greatest consequences. Some men accept that it is the woman’s choice while others find that very difficult. While difficult feelings and views are understandable in this circumstance, it is not okay to pressure her into a decision. Being open and honest about your feelings while …
Men and Unplanned Pregnancy This unplanned pregnancy affects him too – he may just not know how to talk about it. Most men are not as expressive as women about what they are thinking or feeling. They often do not talk about things as much as women do, or in the same way, so don’t think that his silence means he doesn’t care. It is important to ask …
The Adoption Option: It’s not what it used to be Before you assume this option is a closed door, you need to know that adoption and its stigma has changed significantly in recent decades. For many women who have had a previous abortion, they state that they could never have another abortion (for many reasons) but find themselves pregnant again and are still unable to ensure a good environment to …
QUICK FACTS: How Could An STI/STD Affect My Pregnancy? Pregnancy can be affected by a sexually transmitted infection and, if left untreated, can create serious health risks for you and your child. Most OB/GYN offices will routinely screen for STIs at your first pregnancy (obstetrics) visit. It is possible to have an STI while pregnant and not have any symptoms. STIs can be passed to a developing fetus during …
QUICK FACTS: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) or Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) Anyone who is sexually active can contract an STI/STD. Birth control pills do not protect against STIs. Two most common kinds of STI/STD: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea Others include: Syphilis, HIV, Hepatitis A, B and C STIs are transmitted by person to person contact through blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. Symptoms can vary and many times there may not be …
When You and Your Boyfriend Differ On What To Do About This Unplanned Pregnancy Part of any relationship involves the deep desire to be in unity, to keep the peace and, ultimately, to want that person to be happy with the decisions we make. Although these are good desires for a relationship, if we are always giving in to others’ opinions and pressure we find ourselves making everyone else happy …
Someone I know wants an abortion – what should I do? Your friend, sister, or daughter just told you she is pregnant. You may be uncertain how to best support her. Think about how she is feeling too. She is facing an overwhelming situation and needs you right now! Perhaps she has told you she is considering an abortion or is seeking out an abortion. You can show her how much …
4 Steps to Take Before Abortion You think you might be pregnant and you’re not sure what to do. Even though emotions may be running high, it’s important to get the information you need. Especially if you are considering an abortion, there are certain steps your medical provider should take in order to prepare you to make the best decision for your future. 1. Assess Your Health– You’ll need an …
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