Often, women facing unintended pregnancies are not given the informed consent they deserve. They deserve to know all their options, and if they decide to move forward with parenting, should know what assistance and resources are available so they can give their children the lives they deserve. This is why pregnancy centers are a wonderful resource for expecting mothers and couples. These centers provide a wide-range of free services (many performed by licensed medical professionals) both during and after pregnancy. Many centers will provide services 2-3 years following the birth.
Prenatal services
For women who believe they could be pregnant, pregnancy centers offer free pregnancy testing and confirmation services. Many of these centers also offer free ultrasounds. Additionally, women who have taken the abortion pill and regret this decision can pursue an abortion pill reversal at many crisis pregnancy centers across the nation.
Counseling & classes
Many of the women and couples who visit pregnancy centers are in difficult situations and may require emotional support. Many of these centers offer a wide range of counseling services such as crisis intervention, peer counseling, pregnancy case management, and more.
Additionally, many centers offer childbirth and parenting classes to better prepare women and couples for the journey of parenthood. Some centers even offer pre-marriage counseling for couples wanting to build a solid foundation in their relationship before their babies arrive.
Resources
The assistance doesn’t stop at prenatal services and counseling. Many centers offer ongoing postpartum material assistance (diapers, cribs, clothes, formula, etc). These postpartum services often include assistance with educational and vocational goals to create a more stable long term future. For women and couples who are considering making an adoption plan for their babies, many centers offer adoption referrals. For women and couples struggling to find housing for their growing families, housing referrals may be available. Finally, pregnancy centers offer medical referrals for women and couples seeking OBGYNs/pregnancy care teams in their area. The centers are great resources for pregnancy and beyond! To find a location near you, visit optionline.org.
Learn more about the various stages of fetal development (conception, first, second, and third trimester) and don’t forget to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok).