The Choice Is Yours
If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and want help with your next steps, visit Problem Pregnancy. Problem Pregnancy provides free pregnancy tests, limited ultrasound, and abortion consultations. Contact us to talk with someone about your situation and learn about all of your options. All of our services are free and confidential.
Abortion Pressures & Laws
If someone is pressuring you to have an abortion:
In Massachussetts, a pregnant woman cannot be forced to have an abortion unless there is a medical emergency.
A pregnant woman under the age of 18 who is being pressured to have an abortion can do the following:
- You MUST refuse to sign any documents provided by your parents or a clinic, which might show your consent to an abortion. You must also refuse to sign any certification that you have been provided information.
- Advise every medical/clinic person with whom you have contact that you do not want the abortion, that you do not agree with the abortion, and that you will sue if the abortion takes place.
- You should be prepared to remind any doctor who tries to proceed without your consent that even though you are under 18 years of age, you have rights under the Abortion Control Act and do not want the abortion, and that the doctor will be reported to the State Board of Medicine or the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine to have his/her license suspended and because the abortion is without your informed consent, that his/her action is criminal and will be reported as such.
- If you feel that your parents, or guardians, or persons with temporary parental authority over you are forcing you to have an abortion, you can ask for the address and telephone number of the county courthouse to ask the Court of Common Pleas to make them stop. The legal authority for this is found at 18 Pa. C.S.A. Sect. 3206(g). You should know that there are no filing fees, and the court will provide you with a lawyer. The court will be required to give the matter “expedited” status. That means the court will handle your situation immediately and stop people from pressuring you.
- If you refuse to have an abortion and your parents cut you off financially or kick you out of your home, you will be able to seek assistance from the state.
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Know The Facts
We are here to help you understand all your options so that you can make an informed decision. It is your pregnancy, your right to know, and your decision. Call or schedule an appointment at Problem Pregnancy.
Questions & Answers
According to the Mayo Clinic, an estimated 10-25% of all clinically recognized pregnancies will naturally end in a miscarriage. “Miscarriage”, medically known as “spontaneous abortion”, is the common term used to describe a natural end to a pregnancy. Problem Pregnancy offers a limited ultrasound to qualified women to confirm a viable (developing), intrauterine (in the uterus) pregnancy. In many cases, the ultrasound can be performed during the same visit.
If fetal viability is not established, then you are a candidate with a high probability of miscarrying. Miscarriage is your body’s natural way of ending a pregnancy. In a case like this you would not need the pain, cost, and risk of an abortion!
- Severe cramping of the uterus or pelvic pain
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Emotional or psychological distress
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Back pain
Medical abortion information from the Mayo Clinic
Some of the most common surgical abortion procedures include manual vacuum aspiration, dilation and curettage, and dilation and evacuation. If you choose to have a surgical abortion you may want to consider an ultrasound-guided procedure as they have been determined to result in fewer complications.
The risks for any surgery are: Hemorrhaging (bleeding) and Infection
Additional risks of surgical abortion include:
- Excessive bleeding (hemorrhaging)
- Infection of the uterus
- Infection of the fallopian tubes which can cause scarring and infertility
- Puncture or perforation of the uterus
- Scarring of the uterine lining (suction tubing, curettes, and other abortion instruments may cause permanent scarring of the uterine lining)
- Damage to the cervix creating complications with future pregnancies
- Death, in rare circumstances
Other risks can include:
- Premature births with future pregnancies
- Incomplete removal of the fetus, placenta or contents of the uterus
It may be possible to reverse the effect of the abortion pill. If you change your mind after taking the first abortion pill, mifepristone, time is of the essence. For more information, call the Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline 877-558-0333.
Before taking the Morning After Pill, you should understand what it is, what it could mean to your health and how it works.
The “morning after pill” is a large dose of oral contraceptive known as Plan B One -Step. It is a single pill you take by mouth. It must be taken within 72 hours (3 days) after unprotected sex or birth control failure to help prevent pregnancy.
Plan B is believed to act as an emergency contraceptive principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization. In addition, it may inhibit implantation. It is not effective once the process of implantation has begun. Plan B is intended to avoid potential pregnancy, so it is important to confirm you are not pregnant before taking this emergency contraception option.
If your period is more than a week late, it is possible that you may be pregnant. You should get a pregnancy test and follow up with your health care provider or come to Problem Pregnancy for a pregnancy test and consultation.
- Emergency contraception is not effective if a woman is already pregnant.
- Plan B should not be used as routine contraception
- Plan B does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections.
- The most common side effects in the Plan B clinical trial were nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, and menstrual changes.
- Because Plan B makes the uterus inhospitable to the developing embryo, it may lead to an ectopic pregnancy
- The manufacturer warns that Plan B is not recommended for routine use as a contraceptive
- Use of Plan B may result in an ectopic pregnancy. If you experience severe lower abdominal pain 3-5 weeks after taking Plan B, seek medical attention.
Problem Pregnancy does not provide emergency contraception but can provide you with education and pregnancy testing.
The price of an abortion can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars. The final cost is dependent on multiple factors: how far along you are in your pregnancy, what type of abortion you have, your health insurance, the type of clinic you go to, and your choice of anesthesia.