I recently had the opportunity to sit with Angelina and her three children in our clinic, where she shared her experience with Ava Health. She watched her three boys with such love; two running around the room giggling and squealing, and her youngest, Marceau, in the arms of one of the staff members sitting with me.
“I found Ava Health through friends,” she said as she smiled. “They found it super helpful. It’s a good community place.”
Last year, Angelina had found herself unexpectedly pregnant with two young boys already in her care. She talked to her community, and her friends had recommended Ava Health. She told me, “I was really happy to get in so quick and talk with someone. The person I talked to was really reassuring because I didn’t know what I wanted to do with the pregnancy yet.”

Like so many of our patients who come in with uncertainty and questions, Angelina didn’t know what she wanted to do with her pregnancy. We discussed all the options with her, including adoption, abortion, and parenting. Additionally, we were able to provide her with a free pregnancy test, free ultrasounds as she considered her options, and free STI testing to get an accurate picture of her sexual health. As time went on, we were excited to check in with her and find out that she had decided to continue her pregnancy and parent her new little one!
When I asked Angelina what helped her make her decision, she said, “The further along I got, the more support I realized I had if I wanted to keep my baby.” She said she initially thought that she wouldn’t have support from her loved ones—she was pregnant again and already had two little ones to take care of. However, she realized it was just the opposite. Her community really stepped up and supported her, and this allowed her to dream what it would be like for her to have another child.
“You might feel one way today, but if you sit back and look at the bigger picture and surround yourself with people who care for you, you’ll realize that the work is worth it.”
Looking back to 6-month old Marceau, now gazing with wide eyes at his mom, she said that the reality of parenting is that she’s still adjusting to having three instead of two. Despite the difficulty that comes along with deciding to parent, she said she loves being a mom and is really happy with her decision to carry out her pregnancy.
I asked her what she would say to others that might find themselves in the same situation. This is what she said, “You might feel one way today, but if you sit back and look at the bigger picture and surround yourself with people who care for you, you’ll realize that the work is worth it.”
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