Life’s Choices is not an abortion provider, nor do we recommend or refer for abortion. However, if you are considering terminating your pregnancy, we have several services offered free-of-charge for your optimal health and safety prior to an abortion procedure.
Life’s Choices can provide you with a reproductive health screening that includes testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and a pregnancy confirmation ultrasound. We recommend these preliminary steps before an abortion for the following reasons:
1. STI TESTING
Many young women hope to one day be a parent, even though right now doesn’t seem like the right time. To protect your body for a future pregnancy, it’s important to know if you have an STI. At Life’s Choices we test for chlamydia and gonorrhea, two of the most common STIs. The Center for Disease Control has estimated that one in four sexually active adolescent females has an STD such as chlamydia or HPV. (1)
Many don’t know they are infected because STIs often have no symptoms. Untreated STIs can lead to infertility. In fact, the CDC estimates that 24,000 women become infertile each year due to undiagnosed STIs. (2)
Additionally, an abortion procedure that is done while infected with an STI increases your risk of contracting Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID). (3) One in eight women with Pelvic Inflammatory Disease have difficulty becoming pregnant in the future. (4)
Whether you decide to have an abortion or not, being tested for STIs is important for your health and future. We provide confidential testing and treatment free of charge and can usually have your results within one or two days.
2. PREGNANCY CONFIRMATION ULTRASOUND
Here are reasons why an ultrasound before an abortion is recommended:
To determine a viable uterine pregnancy: A nonviable pregnancy is one that cannot possibly result in a live-born baby, for example if no heartbeat is detected or if the fertilized egg is not attached in the uterus (ectopic pregnancy). Early detection through ultrasound can hasten the appropriate medical response to either an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life threatening, or a natural miscarriage. Either one of these conditions would obviously make an abortion procedure unnecessary.
To determine gestational age: Different abortion procedures are available at specific stages of pregnancy. For this reason, it’s important to know how far along you are in the pregnancy.
The Reproductive Health Screening is valued at $350 but is provided completely free of charge at Life’s Choices due to generous donations from local individuals, businesses and churches. Life’s Choices does not benefit financially from any decision you make concerning your pregnancy. Our goal is to provide you with the resources and services you need in order to make a fully informed decision.
CONTACT US
We welcome you to set up a free appointment today, whether for STI/STD testing, an ultrasound or another one of our free services. You can find out more about the services we offer here, or contact us today: