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Month: March 2023

When Your Choice Leaves You Broken: A True Story

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*Ann is  willingly giving us permission to share her story so that others can realize there is hope in the midst of a difficult situation. All client experiences with Two Lines Pregnancy Clinic (formerly Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center) are kept with the highest confidence. The stories that are shared come from the real-life experiences that our clients, staff and volunteers had during their unplanned pregnancy.

*Her name has been changed but her story is true.

My name is Ann.
This is my abortion story.

When I was 15 years old I was in what I thought was a serious relationship. I became sexually active and soon found myself pregnant.

I told no one and attempted to deny reality. I was involved in high school sports which kept me in shape, making it easy for me to pretend I was not pregnant. My mother, however, began to notice changes in me. Eventually, she convinced me to make a doctor’s appointment. It was there we both learned that I was in my sixth month of pregnancy.

Reality hit hard that day.

It wasn’t long until I learned that my mother set up an appointment for a late term abortion procedure. She drove me to a clinic three hours from our home, telling the rest of the family we were going on vacation. It was no vacation. In fact that weekend was my worst nightmare; I could hardly believe I was living it.

When the day of the abortion came I thought that  it was my best option. After all, my mother was making this decision with me in mind. I was taken to a room where I was shown on a monitor how my baby looked and what was happening during the abortion procedure. I did not pay attention. I just wanted it to be over. The physical pain of giving birth without any pain relief had me crying out while the doctor was telling me to be considerate of others and stop, otherwise he would not continue with the procedure. I sucked it up, and for that weekend I did not cry. I did not cry at all. Not when I had to give birth to a dead child. Not when I had to come home and tell everyone how wonderful my vacation was. This was never spoken about again.

Denial became a way of life.

My grades in school began to fail. I began to walk away from my friends, my sports, and my education. I was broken and crying inside, yet I was not sure why. After all, wasn’t this the best choice for a single teenager with an unplanned pregnancy? Isn’t your life supposed to just go on?

When I became pregnant again in my late twenties I wanted to have an abortion. I believed I was not fit to be someone’s mother. I believed abortion was the only way out of a pregnancy. But I came to learn that there are other options. I was introduced to the “angels” at Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid). Not only were they my “angels,” they became my unborn daughter’s “angels” too!

In ten years of suffering I finally had someone who was there to listen without judging.
Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) was there to let me cry, to let me scream, to let me laugh, to let me share MY story.
There was no condemning, only support.

Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) let me know that there was someone available to me 24/7. If I needed to call or meet with someone in person, they were there. Most importantly they gave me what I needed to make an informed decision.

This time, I chose to continue the pregnancy. My  daughter is now three years old and is my world, my strength, my best friend.

Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) continues to be there for me, offering compassion and understanding. They don’t expect anything in return. Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) became my safe place. Safe to make a decision for myself and for my daughter, safe to talk to someone about the feelings I had suppressed for so long, safe to finally get help and feel whole again so that I could be the best woman, friend, and mother I can be.

I owe my daughter’s life to the amazing people at Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid). I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to walk through their doors. When things got tough they were there and I found that their support gave me the strength and courage that I needed.

At one point in my life, I thought I would never finish high school. I am now a college graduate. I used to be unable to even get out of bed. I now have a successful career. I used to believe that I was not worthy to be a mother. I now have an amazing family.

I hope that my story saves someone, anyone, from years of suffering like I did. Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) can – and will – help.

If you are interested in reading other stories like this, visit these links:
Nicole’s Story
Kelly’s Story

If you have had an abortion – or are thinking about it – there may be emotions, pain and struggle that are hard to deal with on your own. That’s why we are here.

Every day, we talk to women in that very position. And they are finally given options, help . . . and the hope they need.

You can talk to us at any time. We are waiting for you.

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What’s the First Step After a Positive Pregnancy Test?

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It’s a positive pregnancy test, now what?

That positive pregnancy test is just the beginning – there is more information you need to have before deciding what you want to do in regards to your pregnancy. A limited sonogram will determine if the gestational sac (or pregnancy) is inside the uterus, how far along your pregnancy currently is, and if the pregnancy is viable or a fetal heartbeat is present. Without this information, a decision may be made regarding the future of your pregnancy that is not necessary.

An Ectopic Pregnancy – And Why That Matters
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg grows outside the uterus. Since it is not in the uterus, an ectopic pregnancy cannot grow as it should and must be treated. As the pregnancy progresses, it can cause the fallopian tube to rupture or burst. If this happens, major internal bleeding may occur. This can be life-threatening to the mother and needs to be treated with surgery.  If the tube has not yet ruptured, it can be treated in some instances with medication or repaired. Any woman who wants to have children will want to keep her fallopian tube so she can have a family in the future. If the tube has already ruptured, it may need to be removed. The remaining tube will be the sole means for possible pregnancies in the future. Early intervention via ultrasound is important to determine if the pregnancy is inside the uterus or to rule out an ectopic pregnancy.

There are factors that increase the chance of an ectopic pregnancy occurring for women. However, any woman of childbearing age is at risk. Approximately 1 in 50 pregnancies is ectopic. Any woman with abnormal fallopian tubes is at an increased risk. These may be caused by pelvic inflammatory disease, history of ectopic pregnancies, history of sexually transmitted infection(s), pelvic or abdominal surgery, endometriosis, infertility, or prior tubal surgery (such as tubal sterilization or ligation). Some of these conditions may produce scar tissue in the tubes which can prevent the fertilized egg from reaching the uterus. Other risk factors include cigarette smoking, increased age, or exposure to the drug DES (diethylstilbestrol) during her mother’s pregnancy.

Why You Need an Ultrasound Right Away
An ultrasound will also determine the gestational age of a pregnancy (how far along the pregnancy currently is). It can also determine if the pregnancy is viable (a fetal heartbeat is present). Approximately 15-20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage. The majority of miscarriages occur in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. There are many reasons a miscarriage may occur. Some miscarriages can be attributed to chromosomal abnormalities, which often happen by chance and are not likely to occur again in a later pregnancy. Another factor that may contribute to a miscarriage is an infection of the uterus, mother’s chronic disease (for example, uncontrolled diabetes), problems with the uterus or cervix, and lifestyle factors of the mother (for example, smoking, heavy alcohol use, or illegal drug use).

Things You Should Watch Out For
There are a few warning signals for miscarriage. Please contact your doctor or go to the Emergency Department if you are pregnant and experience spotting or bleeding without pain, heavy or persistent bleeding accompanied by abdominal pain or cramping, a gush of fluid but no pain or bleeding, or you have passed fetal tissue. It is important to be evaluated and examined in each of these circumstances by a medical professional for a medical diagnosis and to determine if and when treatment is needed.

Before making any decision regarding your pregnancy, an ultrasound is absolutely crucial.

If you have taken a pregnancy test and it is positive, but you don’t know where to turn for the next steps, let us help. We offer medical-grade pregnancy testing, limited sonograms, and additional resources – all at absolutely no cost to you.

You don’t have to be alone through this!

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Sources for this article:
www.aium.org     American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
www.acog.org      American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
See also ACOG’s brochures on “Early Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage and Molar Pregnancy” and “Ectopic Pregnancy”

I Was Pregnant . . . And Needed Some Serious Help!

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*Morgan is willingly giving us permission to share her story so that others can realize there is hope in the midst of a difficult situation. All client experiences with Two Lines Pregnancy Clinic (formerly Advice & Aid Pregnancy Center) are kept with the highest confidence. The stories that are shared come from the real-life experiences that our clients, staff and volunteers had during their unplanned pregnancy.

*Her name has been changed but her story is true.

My name is Morgan, and this is my story.

I knew something different was going on with me because my emotions were strange and I was tired all the time. I wondered if I was pregnant, so I took 5 pregnancy tests to check. Each test was positive. I was scared. I was happy. I was sad. I was mostly afraid of telling my parents. They are “religious people” and I knew they wouldn’t be happy about this.

I wanted to hide this pregnancy so bad that the thought of abortion did cross my mind. I decided to reach out to a friend first. She shared she too had experienced an unplanned pregnancy. She told me about a place called Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid).

During my first visit I took a pregnancy test. By that time, I was having morning sickness, kept falling asleep at work, and I thought my family would find out. I was so scared.

When I told my parents the news, they were very upset. I needed a friend that day, so I went back to Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid). They helped me calm down and we talked through my situation for a long time. They suggested that I have my family join me during the sonogram appointment I had scheduled.

Wow, that was a huge step in my journey! My mom agreed to go with me the day of the sonogram. We shared a lot of tears. I know my parents were still struggling with things, but this new little life in my belly also gave us some joy and hope.

I joined Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid)’s Journey’s Program. I met weekly with my Client Advocate who listened to me no matter what I was going through. I cried A LOT! I was still so scared, but Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) was there for both my boyfriend and me. Every week someone greeted us with big smiles, open ears, and a shoulder to cry on. Every time I would learn something new, I would share it with my family and that brought us close again.

I thought having a baby would hinder my ability to succeed, but it actually pushed me to want to succeed!

The Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) staff ALWAYS reassured me everything was going to be O.K., I just had to keep going.

When my son was born, I was so excited to have my baby boy! My family was super excited too.

Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) was there even after my son was born. I eventually joined their Connections Program,which was incredibly supportive, and stayed there for 2 years! My son and I are still very close to the other Moms and kids that we met at Bridges. Through this program, I was connected to multiple resources in the community. One of these contacts was crucial in my going back to College and graduating debt free!!!!

Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) has given me hope, support, love, encouragement, and a second family relationship! Even six years later the doors are always open!

To read other stories from women who have been where you are:
Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid) Stories

If you are going through a similar experience as Morgan did, you might have seen yourself a bit in her story. Her story ended on a happy note because of one choice: to contact Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid). Because of that choice, she found help, hope, resources, support . . . all of the things she needed most.

Take your first step today towards taking back control of your situation. Make an appointment with us. No pressure, no agenda – simply information, an understanding friend, and hope!

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