A young woman of 20 (we’ll call her Heather) came into the Gresham center for a pregnancy test. She met with our center director Leah and told her that she was 98% sure she would get an abortion. She also said that she and her boyfriend were on the same page, they were just not in a good place to be providing for a baby. When Leah asked her what she knew about abortion and if she had ever heard about another woman’s story of abortion, Heather indicated that she had a discussion with her friend’s mom. They agreed to come to the Southeast Center for an ultrasound before they made their final decision.
During the ultrasound, our nurse discovered that she was seven weeks along and they saw the heartbeat. They seemed to be reconsidering their abortion decision, but they still had some very real concerns. They decided to stay for another counseling session after the ultrasound to sort through their thoughts and obstacles in moving forward. I had the privilege of meeting with this young couple and they were very real. I asked them both to explain what their greatest concerns were with having a baby at this time and they did so one at a time. He told me that he had hoped to have his life together by the time he had a kid. He wished he had a house and more education so he had a better job. She said she was young and hot and knew it would change her body, so that scared her. Heather had recently moved here from California and needed to get a job. Most of their concerns revolved around finances and responsibility. We also had a spiritual discussion, where she shared that she believes she has more of a ‘relationship’ with God than following some religious rules. He was still on the fence. We were able to encourage one another in the fact that God has a plan for our lives and he will give strength and direction when they need it.
In the ensuing conversation, we discussed what steps they would need to take going forward. She needed insurance, a doctor, and to get a job. He needed to find out the cost of adding her to his insurance and the cost of ongoing education, which he already had in his plans. It seemed like they walked out of the center with some hope that they could do this.
She called the next time she had a day off and asked some questions regarding the Oregon Health Plan and a doctor. She was getting on it! I was so proud of her. They seemed like a great couple. I will continue to follow up with her during her pregnancy!
— A PRC staff member
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