 *Rochelle came to our west center for a pregnancy test. She had taken a home PT and wanted to verify that she was pregnant. Rochelle stated during her consultation that she was not at a place in her life where she could support a baby. She didn’t have a lot of family support or support from the father of the baby. Her mind was pretty made up that abortion was her only option.
Our Nurse manager Amanda proceeded with an Ultrasound to determine how far along she was and they were both surprised to see TWINS. Rochelle was shocked but also excited to learn she was carrying twins. She still felt that abortion was a better option at this time. She was very early on in her pregnancy and agreed to come back for a second scan to better determine viability and gestation. Rochelle came back for her scan and shared with nurse Amanda that she had decided to keep her babies and presented a gift of flowers and a card to our nurse thanking her for her help. Rochelle had planned to tell her family about her pregnancy and has agreed to stay in contact with us throughout her pregnancy and birth.
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 Sienna* was brought to PDHC by her older sister for pregnancy test and ultrasound. Sienna was in high school and had just learned she was pregnant; she made her appointment to see how far along she was and if “abortion was still an option”. The nurse learned while talking with the family that Sienna's mom had an abortion as a young teen and was encouraging her to have an abortion also, her family did not believe she was ready to be a parent. The ultrasound showed Sienna was almost 20 weeks pregnant and she was able to see the baby move and hear the heartbeat. Sienna was tearful as the nurse went over abortion information. Sienna shared she was still undecided but was less likely to have the abortion after seeing how far along she was. Information on adoption was also shared with Sienna. Before leaving the nurse was able to pray with Sienna and let her know she would continue to stay in touch, and we would be here if she needed anything. The nurse reached out to Sienna and her mother by text a week later to offer support and conversation if needed. Sienna’s mother replied she had been praying to God and had made peace with the situation and God had assured her everything would be okay. The family says they plan to keep the baby and they will soon, “welcome our bundle of joy into our families.” They thanked PDHC for the help and prayers.  Kelly* came to PDHC looking for help.
She wanted to find out how far along she was in pregnancy and get answers to questions she had about abortion. Kelly opened up and let the nurse know she was "50/50 on parenting or abortion", and needed more information. Kelly shared that she had ended the relationship with the father of the baby, and she couldn't afford her own place to live. Kelly also shared her ex-boyfriend had made an appointment for her at a local abortion clinic for the next day. She canceled it because she wasn't sure what to do. The nurse was able to share with Kelly information about abortion and pregnancy, and while talking about fetal development Kelly became teary-eyed. The nurse talked to Kelly about all her options and encouraged her to write out her thoughts in the "My 3 Choices" brochure to give her the opportunity to really think about everything. Kelly had an ultrasound that revealed an early pregnancy, but she would need to come back to determine viability. When Kelly returned a week later, she as able to see the baby and the heartbeat, but it was still quite early in pregnancy. Another ultrasound was offered, and Kelly agreed. A week later when Kelly returned, she was surprised how much the baby had grown. Kelly shared she had gone to church with her parents and was able to tell them about the pregnancy. She also shared how her parents were excited and told her they would help. Kelly decided to continue the pregnancy and have her baby! The nurse was able to talk to Kelly about her relationship with the Lord, and Kelly gratefully accepted a prayer from the nurse. Before leaving, Kelly also registered for parenting classes to help her in her journey to becoming a mother.  Amy* and her boyfriend Eric* walked in to PDHC after going to another local clinic and finding out she was pregnant; Amy was looking for information on her options. Amy asked if, "it was a baby yet," at 6 weeks, because she was thinking about the abortion pill. An ultrasound was done, and an early pregnancy was confirmed. Amy and Eric were scared. They were both young and realized they now had a very big decision to make.
Being only 17, Amy and Eric were nervous about being pregnant so young, and neither had told their parents. Amy shared that her parents are, "very religious and strict," and she does not want to disappoint and upset them. Eric also voiced the same. The nurse told Amy that she is still their daughter, and they love her, and even though they may be shocked or disappointed at first, they would likely want her to talk to them about the situation and not try to hide it with an abortion. Amy was given the “My Three Choices” journal to take home and put her thoughts down on paper, and she and Eric also read through a brochure called, “How to Tell My Parents,” before they left PDHC that day. The nurse offered encouragement and prayers and invited them back for another ultrasound and to answer any other questions they might have. When Amy and Eric returned for an ultrasound, the nurse again went over options and talked more about fetal development. Amy and Eric still had not told their parents, but they knew they had to make a decision soon. This ultrasound showed a very visible baby with arms, legs, and a clear beating heart. Another courtesy scan was offered for the next week and Amy and Eric accepted. When they arrived for their final ultrasound, Amy & Eric shared they decided to keep their baby. They had told their parents over the weekend, and although both sets of parents were shocked and needed time to process, they were ready to support them both in this pregnancy and raising their child. Amy was able to schedule prenatal care now that her parents knew, and both Amy and Eric have enrolled in the PDHC Family Empowerment Program. They are looking forward to doing parenting classes throughout the pregnancy, and PDHC will be there to support them both on their journey into parenthood. *names changed for privacy  Lainey* visited PDHC a few months ago; this was her second pregnancy she experienced with the support of PDHC, and she felt comfortable coming back for help again. This, however, was a very different situation, and instead of being excited about this baby, she was overwhelmed and distraught, and had already made up her mind that an abortion was going to be her way out of this situation.
When Lainey first arrived, she was dejected and sad. She looked at Amanda, her nurse, and said, “How can I do this again so soon? My baby is still so young and I’m not ready for this.” The nurse took the time to listen to Lainey’s concerns and sympathized with her, as she had also experienced an unplanned pregnancy early in life. They sat and talked and shared and bonded over this situation; Amanda then offered her an ultrasound before she made her decision. The next 20 minutes would change everything. The ultrasound showed that Lainey was very early in pregnancy, but Amanda walked her through everything she was seeing, including a tiny yolk sac which is designed to nourish the baby through the first few weeks of pregnancy. By the end of the appointment, Lainey said, “I think I can do this. I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to keep it.” Amanda reassured her that PDHC would be here to help her with her baby she had, as well as the new baby. Lainey enrolled in the Family Empowerment Program and began taking Parenting Classes. Amanda kept her promise and supported Lainey throughout her pregnancy. Through the Family Empowerment Program, Lainey has been able to learn so much, as well as get diapers, baby clothes, and other needed items for both babies for free. Lainey’s sweet baby girl Penelope was born in May, 2021. Lainey now states, “I’m so thankful for Amanda. I don’t know where my sweet pea would be without the encouragement from her… Thank you PDHC for saving my baby!” *Name changed to protect privacy **Picture shared with permission *Natalia, a previous client at PDHC, came in for an ultrasound. With children already, Natalia wanted to be done having kids, and even had an abortion with the last pregnancy. Finding herself in yet another unplanned pregnancy, she turned to PDHC for help....
After talking through Natalia’s situation, the nurse was able to share her own experience of an unplanned pregnancy and encouraged Natalia to consider all options. It was then that Natalia divulged to the nurse that the abortion she had was so hard and she really did not want to have to go through that heartache again, but in her shock and dismay, she felt like abortion was her only option at this point. The nurse gave Natalia resources that could be helpful for her and her family, as well as abortion information, including potential long-term side effects. The nurse shared with Natalia that some women do experience difficult emotions after an abortion and gave Natalia information about PDHC’s abortion recovery program. Natalia was thankful that such a program existed and took the information home to think about. A few days later Natalia returned for an ultrasound which revealed an early pregnancy; she shared with the nurse that after considering all her options, she decided to continue on with this pregnancy. The nurse provided Natalia with practical resources and support to assist her with her growing family. Natalia was connected with a physician to begin prenatal care and was grateful to receive free prenatal vitamins from PDHC. The nurse continues to keep in touch with Natalia and will continue to offer support throughout her pregnancy and beyond.  Praise Report submitted by Emily, PDHC Center Staff
Sophia came to PDHC seeking a pregnancy test. She shared that she had a lot going on in her life right now and needed time to think. During her consultation, it became evident Sophia was holding on to unresolved emotions from a past abortion. PDHC’s Abortion Recovery program was offered to her and she accepted. A member of the Abortion Recovery team reached out to Sophia the next day. It was during this conversation Sophia shared a recent physical assault, that happened before she realized she was pregnant. She was greatly concerned about the health of her unborn baby. On her next visit to PDHC, Sophia talked about the mistakes she had made in her past, and improvements she was making to take better care of herself and doing what was best for her baby. She was provided counseling resources to help her deal with her recent traumatic events. When the nurse followed up with her the following week, Sophia shared how happy her and the father of the baby were, and that they had decided to parent. A few months later, Sophia gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! She joined PDHC's Family Empowerment Program and began taking classes to learn as much as she could about being a new mom. She expressed how appreciative she was of the pregnancy services, the abortion recovery programs, the parenting education, and the material services offered by PDHC. Sophia attributes her son's life and her personal healing and growth to the loving care she was given by the nurses, volunteers, and other staff at PDHC. Camila* was brought to PDHC by a trusted friend; she just learned that morning she was pregnant and did not want to keep this baby. Camila sat down with a volunteer who was able to speak with her in her native language. Camila explained to the volunteer that she already was content with her family the way it was and did not want the hassle of having to start over again with another baby. Camila also shared that her boyfriend was thrilled with the pregnancy and wanted her to have the baby, but she could not get excited about it and saw the pregnancy as a burden.
The volunteer was able to share community resources and materials with Camila in her language, as well as talk through all her options one by one. The volunteer answered many questions Camila had about abortion procedures, adoption, and the possibility of having this baby. Camila said she had a lot to think through and agreed to an ultrasound to find out just how far along she was. The nurse discovered that Camila was very early in the pregnancy – so early in fact, that a baby could not yet be seen. Camila said she was relieved to have a little time to consider her options and to talk through things with her boyfriend. She agreed to come back for another ultrasound a few days later. Camila returned the following week, and a very small baby was seen on the ultrasound screen. Camila asked for a picture of her baby, but still was very undecided on whether to move forward with the pregnancy, or to end it. The nurse stayed in touch with Camila over the next few days and offered her another free ultrasound – Camila happily accepted. When Camila returned for her third ultrasound the baby was much bigger than before and was starting to wiggle just a little bit. The baby was measuring right on track and the heartbeat was strong. By this time Camila had told a couple of family members about the pregnancy, and she brought her sister with her to this appointment. They both smiled and talked about the baby during the ultrasound, and at the end Camila said she had chosen to keep this baby and complete her family. Camila was so appreciative of the services PDHC was able to offer her; she did not have health insurance or a doctor, but PDHC connected her to free care for herself and her baby. Camila also joined the PDHC Parenting Program and will be able to learn lots of helpful things and collect free diapers and other baby items along her journey.  Theresa* came to PDHC and said she was here for an abortion. "I want to do this before I am too far along," was one of her first statements. The nurse sat down with Theresa to hear her story and understand why she felt abortion was her only option. Theresa shared a difficult life filled with trauma and loss, leading to her own struggle with alcoholism. Theresa had suffered several miscarriages and did not know if she could even carry this pregnancy to term, and this time she didn’t want to try. Theresa had come a long way though; she was several months sober and had a supportive and loving mother to help her navigate through life. Theresa also shared that she was not in a relationship with the father of the baby and had no plans to tell him about this pregnancy, as she did not feel he would be a good support in her life. Theresa felt the abortion pill was the best way to go.
The nurse shared with Theresa that the women in PDHC’s abortion recovery program so often tell us that they wish someone had told them to "slow down" so they could learn about their options and resources available to them, and they possibly would not have made a decision that they later had come to deeply regret. “If only someone would have taken the time to listen and care,“ many say. This made sense to Theresa and so she agreed to listen. To learn. To take her time. The nurse offered Theresa an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy; Theresa agreed. As the nurse was looking at the screen, she saw twins!! For Theresa, the emotions were many - panic, fear, excitement, and she was immediately overwhelmed. If she did not want to go through with a single pregnancy, how could she possibly fathom having twins? And with her history of miscarriage, what would this mean? Since the pregnancy was still very early Theresa agreed to come back in one week to recheck the babies. She also agreed to prayer. During the next week Theresa had a chance to “slow down” and think through her options and review all the information the nurse shared with her. Theresa returned with her mom one week later, and when the nurse brought them into the ultrasound room, they both shared, "We have decided we can do this - we are going to keep them!" Tears were shed as emotions flooded the room. The ultrasound showed growth and 2 healthy babies. Theresa is in prenatal care and is excited about the pregnancy. The nurse informed Theresa about PDHC’s Parenting Classes/Family Empowerment Program, as well as the many community resources available for families. Theresa and her mom thanked the nurse for encouraging them to slow down - to make a decision that was right for them - a decision for not one, but 2 lives!  *Emma came to PDHC after learning she was newly pregnant. She was discouraged, feeling lots of guilt and shame about this unplanned pregnancy, and was wishing she could just rewind her life for the past six months. Emma was in a relationship with someone she knew she didn’t want to marry, but with feelings of loneliness and little self-worth, she had been pressured into going further in this relationship than she originally anticipated.
When Emma told her boyfriend about the positive pregnancy test, he was angry and told Emma to “get rid of it.” Emma didn’t want to have a baby right now, and she didn’t want to have an abortion either, but she was fearful of what her boyfriend would say or do if she didn’t. When searching for “abortion information” on the internet, Emma found the number for PDHC and sent a text asking for help. Emma was scheduled for a confirming pregnancy test and an ultrasound to check and see how far along she was, and if the pregnancy was viable. During the ultrasound Emma was able to see her baby and knew it was a life that she didn’t want to take, but she could not bring herself to face the fact that she was going to be a mother either. She felt ill-equipped and not ready for such a big responsibility. Emma said, “How can I take care of an innocent baby when I cannot even take care of myself?” But the kind nurse that helped Emma that day brought up another option – an option that she never even considered – adoption. Emma expressed her concerns to the nurse saying, “Am I a bad person for giving away my baby to strangers?” The nurse explained that adoption is very different than how many people perceive adoption to be, and there is something called Open Adoption. Emma learned she could choose a family to raise her child, a family that has been thoroughly screened, and have an open relationship with them if she would choose to in the future. Emma left that day happy that she came to PDHC, happy that she was given REAL options, and happy that she didn’t feel pressured into making any decision she didn’t want to. She couldn’t rewind time, but she could make good choices going forward – for herself, and her baby. Emma returned to PDHC mid-pregnancy saying she wanted to go forward with an adoption plan for her baby. The nurse explained the process to Emma and gave her resources to get connected to an adoption agency. Emma is always welcome at PDHC for support as she goes through the adoption process and chooses LIFE for her baby. |
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