Abortion is a pregnancy option that can impact your mental health.
A study looking into the link between abortion and adverse mental health outcomes found that women who feel pressured into an abortion or have preexisting mental health conditions are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, regret, and other mental health complications.
If you’re considering an abortion, it’s essential to learn all you can to ensure you’re making your own decision—your mental health depends on it.
This article will explore steps you can take to make your own pregnancy decision. But if you’re looking for more information about your options and free resources, contact First Choice Women’s Center today to schedule a free, confidential appointment.
Understand Your Options
Abortion is just one of your pregnancy choices; your other options are parenting and adoption.
Before you make a choice about how to move forward, it’s critical to understand each pregnancy option and consider what each option might look like in your life. Some points to consider include:
- How might I feel if I choose abortion? Parenting? Adoption?
- Am I leaning toward one option over the other? Why?
- What questions do I have about each option?
Learning the essentials you need to know about each option can be difficult, but we make it easier. At First Choice Women’s Center, we offer free options counseling appointments that give you medically accurate information about your options—plus the space to ask questions in a safe, supportive environment.
Get an Ultrasound
No matter what option you’re leaning toward, getting an ultrasound is an essential way to protect your health. This simple scan will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.
We offer free, limited ultrasounds. During an ultrasound appointment, you will learn about your pregnancy’s:
- Gestational age: Many women are surprised to learn that their pregnancy is a lot further along than they thought. Knowing your gestational age is especially important since certain options, like medical abortion, are only available if your pregnancy is 10 weeks gestation or under.
- Location: This makes sure you aren’t experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, which is a life-threatening condition that needs emergency treatment.
- Viability: This is a fancy word that means the ultrasound will look for signs of life, like a heartbeat, to ensure you haven’t miscarried. This is important since roughly 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage.
You’re Not Alone
Deciding how to move forward in your pregnancy can feel overwhelming and confusing, but you’re not alone in this. We’re here for you.
We offer free resources and services that can help ensure you’re making your own pregnancy decision without feeling pressured into one choice over another.
Contact us today to learn about all the ways we’re here to help. All appointments and services are free and confidential.