When you have scratch on your leg and the bleeding won’t stop, what do you do? You go to the medicine cabinet and get a Band-aid to cover and protect the wound and stop the bleeding. When you are cooking and cut your hand with a knife, what do you reach for? A Band-aid, something that will cover your wound and protect it from germs, leading to infection.

                When you have an unplanned pregnancy and your heart is breaking, mind racing, what do you do? You are looking for a way to cover it up, stop the pain, and be “healed”; the phone call for an abortion comes to mind immediately. Many times abortion is seen as a quick fix, a Band-aid, a temporary solution to a bigger problem.

                When I had my abortion, I was looking forward to getting my life back to normal. I wanted to stop my unwanted pregnancy from being on my mind constantly, but my abortion experience wasn’t the quick fix that I had hoped for. I wasn’t prepared for or aware of the “triggers” that I would be experiencing for years afterwards.

                If you are considering an abortion, you have the right to know you may experience flashbacks or memories of your abortion when you see, hear, smell, or feel things that you encountered during the time of your abortion. These can come days, weeks, and years later.

According to “Ramah’s Voice,” the following are eight of the most common triggers of post-abortion pain:

Initially many women feel relief after an abortion and look forward to getting their life back to where it was before they became pregnant. But days, weeks, months or even years later many emotions can surface as a result of an abortion decision. The following are several post-abortion emotional reactions that some women experience:

                Denial…

                                Shame…

                                                Regret…

                                                                Anger…

Some circumstances change us forever…like pregnancy.

Where will this journey end?

How will it end?

What decision do I need to make next?

Where do I find physical as well as emotional support?

Abortion on your mind?

Did you just find out that you are pregnant? Two lines on a pregnancy test weren’t what you were hoping for; I understand. Feelings you could be experiencing now are: fear, anxiety, dread, and just being overwhelmed. You may be looking for a fast way out, and abortion comes to your mind… “I just need to get this over with.”

May I just encourage you to slow down a moment? You have time to make an informed decision and get the facts first. Before you rush into a decision, just confirm that you are pregnant with a visit to a physician or a pregnancy resource center. Usually home tests are accurate, but there are many factors to consider, and there can be false positives. Then follow that up that pregnancy confirmation with an ultrasound exam. This will confirm the status of your pregnancy; this information is important. Did you know that…

…1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage

…the abortion pill will not work if you are experiencing a tubal pregnancy

First question to answer, are you certain you’re pregnant? 1 in 4 pregnancies ends in miscarriage; Care Net PRC of Neosho offers free ultrasounds to confirm what your next steps will be.

Facing an unplanned pregnancy is hard. You may be facing many emotions right now – fear, confusion anxiousness, and more; it can be overwhelming. I understand; I had an unplanned pregnancy at 18 years old. I wanted a quick way out of my situation, so I chose abortion.

Before you decide on abortion, I encourage you to be informed. Get the facts before you rush into a decision.

This is not like taking Tylenol, as many would have you believe. Here are some facts:

• The abortion pill can only be taken up to 11 weeks of pregnancy.
• Two pills are required:

                                The first pill cuts off nutrients to the fetus so that it dies.

When checking out a new restaurant… you ask your friends who have been there to eat.

When questioning whether to watch a certain movie… you read the reviews of those who have seen it.                  

How much more carefully, then, should you seek out someone or someplace to advise you on a decision that will affect you physically, emotionally, and spiritually for the rest of your life? 

When deciding on whether to have an abortion… why not talk to someone who has been on this journey ahead of you and knows exactly what you are struggling with. 

Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center of Neosho is that someone…