Crossroads Pregnancy Center
(Always remember that you can refuse to go through with the procedure at any time, even if forms of agreement have been signed.)
Women's Health and Safety Checklist
Our commitment is to help women considering abortion realize what is in their best interest. This means helping them avoid being hurt physically and emotionally, or helping them find solutions to the distressing circumstances causing them to feel they have "no choice" but abortion. Having "no choice", is not a choice. We recommend that you NOT "just get it over with". Slow down and think about what's best for you. As with all surgery, abortion has inherent dangers that cannot be eliminated. Therefore, Crossroads does not recommend or refer for abortion. However, our nine-point health and safety checklist can help protect you against physical and emotional injuries.
1. Are you sure you are pregnant? Get a blood test or laboratory quality urine test.
How have you confirmed your pregnancy? When was your last menstrual period or LMP? How far along are you? We provide a laboratory quality urine test free of charge as a service to women. Because of the conflict of interest involved, do not confirm your pregnancy at the abortion center.
Make sure you have a viable pregnancy. An ultrasound can confirm this and determine how far along you are.
2. Do not allow anyone to sell you an abortion prior to the eighth week of pregnancy.
Providers will sell you one but then will not "guarantee success" prior to the 8th week. The fetus is simply too small to locate. Abortion is already a blind procedure (by feel and guesswork) and when done prior to the 8th week, the dangers of internal damage are increased. The suction tube may perforate you uterus and bowel. More commonly, the abortion is incomplete; part of the fetus is left behind causing severe infection, leading to infertility and in some cases, toxic poisoning and death. Don't be a victim of someone elses desire to make a quick cash sale. You have time to make this decision.
3. Do you know there are possible emotional complications following abortion?
50% of post-abortive women report experiencing emotional and psychological disturbances lasting for months or years. This includes intense feelings of anxiety, grief, depression, and anger; fear of disclosure, preoccupation with babies; nightmares or flashbacks about the abortion, difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; sexual inhibition, termination of relationships, emotional coldness, increased smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, eating disorders and suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Many go into the clinic thinking, :this is my only choice"! but some come out saying "what have I done"? Be prepared. Women who feel pressured into an abortion or make a quick decision are more likely to experience Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS). PAS varies from one individual to another in it's symptoms, intensity, and time of onset. It can be experienced soon after the abortion but may be most intense 5 to 10 years after the abortion experience.
4. Do you know that there are possible physical complications following abortion?
Immediate complications: Infections, excessive bleeding, fever, ripping or perforation of the uterus, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, anesthesia complications, convulsions, embolism, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and endotoxic shock.
Long term complications:
Ectopic Pregnancy - Studies show that the risk of an ectopic pregnancy is twice as high for women who have had one abortion, and up to 4 times as high for women with 2 or more abortions. Ectopic pregnancies account for 12% of pregnancy related maternal deaths.
Abnormal development of placenta in later pregnancies.
Endometriosis Cysts in the uterus and on ovaries, which are painful and reduce fertility.
Pelvic Inflamatory Disease (PID) 30% of all women suffer PID following induced abortion. PID leads to fever and infertility.
Cervical and uterine damage can cause problems such as premature delivery in later pregnancies.
Breast Cancer An analysis of all reputable studies done to date suggest that women who abort their first pregnancy in the first trimester face an alarming 50% increase in breast cancer, a rate that doubles with each successive abortion.
5. What do you know about the abortion procedure?
It is important for you to know as much as possible about the procedure that will be used if you decide to have an abortion. Understand that abortion is surgery, and carries particular health risks. Know what abortion is, and why it is such a difficult and painful decision.
6. What do you understand about fetal development?
By the 8th week the fetus is well developed, complete with fingers, even fingerprints and a fully recognizable body to go with them. The heart has been beating for over a month, it has an entire nervous system and can feel pain. The fetus is a seperate person with a different genetic code from yours, probably a different blood type, and half the time, a penis. The fetus is in your body but not part of your body. Make sure you don't deny yourself this vital information. You're not a child that needs screened from the facts, you're a mother in need of help.
7. Do you know if you have a sexually transmitted disease right now?
Most STD's can infect you for long periods of time with no symptoms. If the clinic does not test for STD's you should see a doctor to check if you have any and be treated before an abortion. For example, PID is a potentially life threatening disease which can lead to increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and reduce fertility. Of patients who have chlamydia infection at the time of the abortion 23% will develop PID within four weeks.
8. Ask the name of the doctor performing the abortion.
Abortion is legal; malpractice and sunstandard medical treatment is not. Unless you insist on knowing the name of the doctor they may not tell you. In case of injury, the abortionist is relying on your not wanting anyone to know you were ever at their clinic; they are counting on your not knowing whom to hold accountable for the malpractice. In order to protect your interests in case of injury, know your doctor's name.
9. Verify that the doctor is competent and caring by calling the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine. The number is (717) 787-2381.
As a matter of consumer protection, the Board of Medicine will disclose whether they have taken any disciplinary action against a PA doctor. For more specific information and complaints or malpractice suits, you can contact the courthouse in the county where the doctor practices. Abortion providers routinely fail to inform clients about the risks of abortion. Many also have quality care problems. You deserve competent treatment, not substandard care.
10. Check to see if the abortion center is a licensed medical clinic.
Abortion providers are not required by law to be licensed clinic and therefore are not required to provide the standard of medical care women deserve and expect. Abortion clinic are the only field of medicine that is unregulated. Make sure you only go to one that at least meets the minimum safety standards required for a medical clinic license.
11. Demand your money back, should you change your mind, even when you're on the table.
Abortion providers know that this is an intensely agonizing decision and see women change their minds at the last minute. Know your rights. Don't be pressured.
12. Understand your legal rights following your abortion.
Some abortion providers insist that all patients sign a statement saying they will not hold the clinic or the doctor liable for damages that might occur because of the abortion. However, this document has virtually no legal authority. If you are physically or emotionally injured, you always retain the right to seek financial compensation in a court of law, no matter what you signed. Call 1-800-634-2224 for legal and medical help.
13. Do you understand what your other alternatives are?
Choices are good! No one, not even parents or a husband, can require another person to undergo an abortion. It is important for you to be fully informed and you may find you have more choices than you think. Our organization can provide you with lots of information on parenting, adoption, medical and financial resources and above all, will offer you support.
If you are considering abortion only because of your circumstances, change your circumstances. Your ambivalence indicates that you have conflicted feelings. Take time to ask yourself "why" you have these conflicted feelings. Do not abort your conscience and values. They are what make you a strong woman. Fight and overcome your circumstances, rather than submit to them. We will be glad to help you in such a case.
Lewistown 717-242-0301/Huntingdon 814-643-3570/Mt. Union 814-542-2880/Mifflin 717-436-0024
Crossroads Pregnancy Center provides services to Mifflin, Juniata, Huntingdon, and surrounding counties of central PA