In light of recent events affecting the legality of abortion at different stages of pregnancy, many people are, for the first time, learning about Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs). And many of the things that are being said about PRCs are very misleading. You owe it to yourself to learn the truth.
We know it can be scary when you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, especially if you are unsure what steps to take next or what help may be available. Some women think that the only option available to them is to find an abortion clinic. However, an alternate option is to go to a PRC.
What Do Pregnancy Resource Centers Do?
PRCs exist to educate pregnant women about all the options available to them and to provide services, support, and life skills for women who opt to have their babies, even if they ultimately decide to give them up for adoption. PRCs operate on the belief that the term “choice” should allow you to know about all your choices and not just abortion. PRCs provide help to those facing an unplanned pregnancy to make informed decisions, and to provide them with the support they need so they don’t have to feel alone or coerced into making a choice they are not comfortable with.
There are all sorts of pregnancy centers, but PRCs provide a safe and welcoming place for young women to find help, get testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), take classes in life skills and parenting, and obtain necessary services during their pregnancies. Many PRCs can also provide resources and help if a woman decides to give her baby up for adoption. Frequently, the services extend beyond the term of the pregnancy and may include providing diapers, formula, clothing, furniture, books, and other necessities for babies and toddlers.
There are many PRCs, and they are usually operated by different groups. They are not branches or parts of one large corporation, although some PRCs will have more than one location. Also, typically, PRCs operate as not-for-profit entities and offer a lot of no-cost services. Frequently, they are supported entirely by voluntary donations and many of the people who work at PRCs are volunteers.
Read on to learn more about some of the crisis pregnancy services available in northern Idaho.
No-Cost Services in Kootenai County
If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy or think you may be pregnant, you can come to Open Arms Real Choices Clinic and obtain lab-quality (not over-the-counter) pregnancy testing. You can also get a no-cost limited obstetric ultrasound to confirm how far along you are in your pregnancy, and to find out if your pregnancy is viable. These services will be provided in a safe, confidential, and welcoming environment.
In addition to these medical services, you can also obtain other services at no cost. You can have access to adoption support, post-abortion support groups, sexual abuse support, or parenting education. You can find confidential care and counseling at a CPC. We can also provide community referrals for other services that you may not have known were available to you.
Education
The only way to make a truly informed decision is to educate yourself about the choices in front of you: what they involve and what their impact will be on you in terms of your physical, psychological, and emotional health. While you cannot know everything, you can get information that will help you to weigh your decisions more carefully. When it comes to pregnancy, getting an education and vital information about pregnancy and parenthood can help you understand your pregnancy options, your health during pregnancy, and what you can expect moving forward.
At Open Arms, you can find helpful information about staying healthy during pregnancy, living with your partner, your pregnancy options, and healing from painful or negative experiences. In addition, you can obtain all the facts about the health consequences of the morning-after pill and abortion.
Life Skills
Parenthood can certainly be challenging, and many issues may arise both during pregnancy and after you have a baby that can make it difficult to navigate your way through, or hinder you from being the best parent you can be. Life skills classes can teach you how to identify problem issues, communicate effectively and in a healthy way, work with others, and overcome the challenges of parenthood either with your partner or as a single parent.
Partner Support
Just as an unplanned pregnancy may bring questions for the mother, it can also cause uncertainty and worry for the father. A new father may be concerned with how he will provide for his family financially or be confused about how to support the mother. Or, he may fear he simply doesn’t don’t know how to be a good dad. Having apprehensions about fatherhood is normal, but there are programs available to help support dads during this time, also,
We know that an unplanned pregnancy can feel overwhelming, and you may not know where you can go to get the support you need. Contact Open Arms Real Choices Clinic today to make an appointment and get connected with confidential care, counseling, and resources to help you.
