Nearly half of women will have had an abortion by the time they’re 45. One in four already have. If you’re one of them, you probably thought, or were told, that it was the best solution to your problem. That afterwards you could get on with your life – get back on track. Unfortunately, that’s not the experience of many post-abortive women. Whether it was immediately following their procedure, when they were babysitting their niece a few months later, or when they heard some random bad news years down the road, a flood of emotions came rushing in and caught them off guard. They weren’t even sure what they were feeling. Was it a relief? A sense of loss? Guilt? Anger? Worthlessness?

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If this describes you, you may have tried to push such feelings to the back of your mind, only to have them resurface again and again. Being plagued by depression, shame, bouts of crying, anxiety, or regret is very common for women who have had an abortion – especially those who have also experienced negative childhood events or trauma. Some even turn to drugs and alcohol, consider suicide, avoid intimate relationships, or engage in unhealthy relationships – like Toni (read her story below).

Adverse feelings can be compounded if fear and urgency were the driving factors of the abortion decision rather than objective information. Did you know….

• 64% of women having abortions said they felt pressured to abort
• 84% said they were not fully informed
• 52% felt rushed and 54% uncertain beforehand
• 67% received no counseling beforehand
• 79% were not informed about alternatives

Studies also show that women who experienced childhood trauma are more likely to have subsequent unplanned pregnancies and abortions. “When you’ve had trauma early on, an unplanned pregnancy can mimic that trauma in your brain by triggering those memories and emotions of being caught off guard,” says Amber McCutcheon, founder and executive director of HOPE, which serves survivors of sexual trauma. “Where you had no control over your previous trauma, an abortion can make you feel like you have control over the unplanned pregnancy because you can take care of the problem. You may feel that it is better for this child to never experience anything you went through.”

Considering an Abortion?

Are you pregnant? Do you think you may be pregnant? If so, you may find yourself wondering what your options are. At this point, you may begin looking for abortion education and wondering who to trust. The decisions you’re facing are stressful enough as it is. You need to know the risks, benefits, and alternatives of your choices. Otherwise, you can’t give informed consent for your reproductive health decisions. Our goal is to equip you with the facts about the abortion pill, and surgical abortion so you can make an informed decision about your pregnancy.

So how do we start? Well, first things first. You’ll want to confirm whether you’re pregnant or not.

Am I Pregnant? The Urine Test

A urine test will identify the pregnancy hormone, also known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). They are highly accurate in their detection of hCG levels. But, if you took the test BEFORE the day you were supposed to get your period, you might not get an accurate result. The hCG concentration increases each day during early pregnancy. Now that time has gone by, you’ll get a more accurate reading.

Two Options for Urine Testing

Your first option is the home pregnancy test. These have been on the market for several decades and tend to be quite accurate. If you go this route, make sure your test is not expired and that you carefully follow the instructions.

Pregnancy Signs and Symptoms

Answer these questions to help determine whether or not you may be pregnant.

Have you been experiencing bodily changes? Do you think you may be pregnant? This can be an exciting time but also a puzzling time. To add to the confusion, many pregnancy signs and symptoms can have causes unlinked to pregnancy.

At Family Life Center we have compiled this list of questions to determine whether or not you may be pregnant. Please contact Family Life Center if you have any other questions or would like to make an appointment for a free and confidential consultation.

Early signs of pregnancy tend to differ from one woman to the next. It is best to wait until the week after your missed period to take a pregnancy test for an accurate result. But paying attention to early symptoms of pregnancy is also important, and these symptoms can start as early as your first month of pregnancy. With that in mind, consider these questions about the early signs of pregnancy:

         There are many options when deciding on what birth control to take. Your health is essential, so it's critical to understand the possible side effects before you begin. While your doctor may recommend the type of birth control you should take, it is always good to do your own research. A Pregnancy Resource Center, ...

     Are you faced with an unplanned pregnancy? Do you need an escape & want life to resume back to normal, right now? It is essential to first get your pregnancy confirmed by a doctor before jumping to conclusions. Why endure an abortion if you aren't pregnant? If your pregnancy is already confirmed by a doctor, then the next st...

Have you taken a pregnancy test & it came back positive? You think to yourself, "No.... this can't be right"?! Or maybe it came back negative & you felt the same way. Several factors can contribute to a false reading, so let's review them here. "Urine pregnancy tests are 99% accurate", according to WebMD LCC (2005-2021). You can go to a med...

 How Does the Abortion Pill Work?        The Abortion Pill is also known as Medical Abortion. This method is approved by the "FDA for use in women up to 70 days (10 weeks) after their last menstrual period (LMP) ... The woman is given Mifeprex to swallow, which eventually causes the death of the baby over the next few days....

 Am I Pregnant? When you begin to "feel weird" & miss a period, it often leads to the question, "Am I Pregnant"? A pregnancy test & a visit to your doctor is the best way to know for sure. According to Mayo Clinic, if you have any of these pregnancy symptoms, you could be pregnant: 1.Missed period 2.Tender swollen breasts 3.Nausea with...

Why do I need an ultrasound?

Ultrasounds are essential when you think you might be pregnant, or if you are confident in your pregnancy. When you have an unplanned pregnancy, three options come to mind: Parenting, Adoption, or Abortion. When the pregnancy is planned, most of the time the couple has already chosen to parent.

 With Parenting and Adoption, you carry the child to term and give birth. Ultrasounds are a necessary part of your prenatal care to ensure the baby is in the uterus, that the baby is alive with a heartbeat, and to see how far along you are in your pregnancy.