Call Helpline: 913.962.0200

Month: August 2023

What Are The Signs of Early Pregnancy?

Posted on

Experiencing some early pregnancy signs?
Thinking you may be pregnant? 

Earliest Sign
There are signs and symptoms of early pregnancy that many women experience, some even experiencing them just days after the first missed period. Some signs, such as implantation bleeding (6-12 days after conception) happen even before a woman misses her period. Cramping may or may not occur during implantation, and many women hardly notice discomfort at all.

Tender Breasts
Another common symptom of early pregnancy is breast tenderness and/or swelling. This tenderness is caused by rising hormone levels and can be similar to how your breasts feel just before a period. Some women describe the sensation as “fullness” in their breasts. Often, these symptoms diminish after the first trimester, when the body adjusts to the hormonal changes.

Fatigue
Many women feel fatigue and tiredness early on in their pregnancies. Oftentimes, this is the first noticeable sign. If you have missed a period and just cannot seem to shake your fatigue, even after plenty of rest, you may be pregnant. The fatigue usually subsides into the second trimester but may return in the third trimester.

Mood Swings
Mood swings are common for many women early in their pregnancy. As the body tries to adjust to rising hormone levels, many women find they don’t sleep as well as usual. Increased urination and frequency is also common and may cause wakefulness at night, contributing to fatigue and moodiness.

Nausea
Many women begin to have food aversions, increased salivation, or nausea and vomiting.  This can start anywhere from two weeks after conception until a month or two after a missed period.  For many women, these symptoms subside after the first trimester, but for a small percentage of women, the vomiting can be severe. A few lucky women never have issues with nausea at all.

Missed Period
For a large number of women, a missed period is the first sign that pregnancy may indeed have occurred. A home pregnancy test may not detect pregnancy until about a week after a missed period, so if you are having pregnancy symptoms AND have missed a period, you may need to repeat a pregnancy test. Women who track their periods and record the days upon which their periods start may notice a missed period faster, even in the absence of any pregnancy symptoms.

Frequent Urination
Another common symptom of pregnancy is frequent urination, as mentioned above. A woman’s blood volume increases dramatically over the course of her pregnancy, requiring the kidneys to filter more blood, thus increasing urine output. Many women note having to awaken at night to use the restroom, whereas it was rare before the pregnancy. Having to get up in the middle of the night contributes to the fatigue that many women experience in early pregnancy. Taking a nap during the day, if possible, can help combat fatigue. Do not feel guilty about taking that nap! You will need to pay close attention to your body now and in the coming months as you prepare for the arrival of your new baby.

Maybe it’s planned and well-anticipated . . . maybe it’s a complete shock and wasn’t in the plans at all. But if you are experiencing any of the symptoms above, it’s absolutely vital that you know for sure. Either way . . . you need to know.

Home tests can be hard to read sometimes. That’s why we provide medical-grade pregnancy tests here, along with a nurse, to help you not only get clear results, but to begin discussing your options and information.

The best part? It’s all at no financial cost to you.

Think you might be pregnant? Start with an easy-to-make appointment with us. No agenda . . . No judgment . . . Just helpful answers and options.

It’s the best first-step you can take!

Book An Appointment

The above information came from the following:
AmericanPregnancy.org
BabyCenter.com
HealthLine.com
MayClinic.org
ACOG.org

For more articles on pregnancy from Two Lines (formerly Advice & Aid):
What’s the First Step After a Positive Pregnancy Test?
Can I Count on the Accuracy of a Home Pregnancy Test?
The Info You Need on Plan B

Why You Should Choose to Sex-Free Date

Posted on

Music, movies, television shows, podcasts…almost all of our entertainment and media intake is littered with normalizing sex. Whether it’s sex while dating, casual sex with friends, or a one-night stand, we are consistently surrounded by the idea that sex before marriage is good and fun. So many of these entertainment platforms are targeted toward young people, so while our brains are still developing, we’re given the idea that sex before marriage is a good time and has no consequences.

Part of the message we hear is correct – sex is good and it is fun. But, it’s also emotional and complicated. “Hook-up culture” is extremely prevalent in today’s society and deems the idea of waiting until marriage as lame and boring. In reality, there are many benefits to having a sex-free relationship!

Foundation

If you and your partner are establishing a relationship without sex, it builds a solid and trustworthy foundation with that person. The base of a long and healthy relationship is a friendship, and when sex is out of the picture, it’s easier to focus on what specifically you like about that person. Sexless dating allows you to build your friendship with that person, without any distractions. If sex is included in your relationship, you can simply resort to the bedroom instead of working through problems, having intimate conversation, or realizing what makes you compatible aside from physical attraction.

Less Stress!

Sex while you’re dating somebody can bring a great amount of unnecessary stress into the relationship. When you bring sex into the relationship before marriage, additional worries of unwanted pregnancies, STIs, breakups, and more are also brought into the relationship. If you wait until marriage, you don’t need to worry about any sex-related problems and can simply enjoy each other and the relationship you have.

Clear Mindedness

While it isn’t perceived as a drug, sex can sure feel like it. When people have sex, a hormone known as oxytocin is released. Oxytocin is associated with good moods, pleasure, and reward. As a result, you feel more attached to your partner. This is why many couples feel closer to one another after having sex, which is great for married couples, but can get a little more complicated if you’re still only dating. The problem with creating this level of physical intimacy with your partner before marriage is that it can cloud your vision and judgment. You may feel in love, but it could be an overload of oxytocin, which ebbs and flows. If your relationship is charged by your lust for one another, then you may overlook problematic signs, or the fact that you don’t like the person as much as you thought you did. Abstaining from sex while you’re dating allows you to think clearly and make better judgment about the relationship, which will help you remember why you fell in love with your partner to begin with, and what makes them so special to you.

Sex is simply worth waiting for.

Many married couples today say they wish they had waited until their honeymoon to have sex for the first time. Sex is a precious gift, and treating it as such can bring an unmatched joy into your relationship after you’re married. So yes, it’s worth the wait!

We get it. Sex-free dating isn’t exactly popular . . . or fun. But there are some amazing benefits of waiting that can far outweigh the momentary pleasure of sex while dating.

Want to talk it out? Need some further convincing? Maybe looking for a friend that can help you stay strong to your commitment to sex-free dating? We can fill any of these shoes.

And if you have had sex while dating in the past – even once – you really should be tested for STD. It’s no joke, and can cause a world of pain down the road. It’s best to know now so you can deal with it.

Whatever you need, we are here. It’s as simple as click and schedule!

Book An Appointment

Physical Effects of Abortion – Facts You Need

Posted on

 No woman wants to be in a situation of an unplanned pregnancy!

And most women do not want to abort an unborn baby. But if the situation arises, then the main focus is to remove the problem. Abortion often seems the most obvious  – and the easiest – answer to that problem. However, on closer inspection it may not be that simple. In this two-part blog, we will look closely at the physical and emotional effects of abortion so you can understand it more fully.

Effects of Abortion: The Physical Aspects

There are two different types of abortion that are generally found in most abortion clinics. The type of abortion is dependent on the stage of pregnancy.

Abortion Pill (RU-486)
The abortion pill is given at the abortion clinic and blocks the pregnancy hormones that maintain the embryo (embryo is the early stage of a baby). It can only be used in very early pregnancy. It is recommended by the drug manufacturers that the patient make 3 visits to the clinic after taking the drug.  However, most abortion clinics combine visits and often, the woman has returned home when the cramping and bleeding begin with no medical supervision. Being alone (or at the least, without medical help), can put the woman in a frightening situation, leaving her with no one to ask if the amount of bleeding is normal or not. One in 100 women require surgery to stop the bleeding after taking the abortion pill.  As many as 8 out of 100 times, RU-486 does not end the pregnancy, leading the woman to require an additional procedure to end it.

Abortion Procedures
To understand the physical effects of abortion, we need to share a simple description of the procedure. Depending on the stage of pregnancy, different procedures are used. All procedures involve opening the cervix. The cervix is meant to be tight and closed except when it opens naturally during the process of giving birth. The cervix is located at the at the back of the vagina and is the opening to the uterus. The fetus or baby lives in the uterus.  Abortion procedures include suctioning and scraping of the uterine walls, insertion into cervix and uterus by forceps, and using a sharp instrument inside of the uterus.  Forceps are a surgical instrument that resemble a pair of tongs and are used for grabbing, maneuvering, and removing the fetus. As many as three visits to the abortion clinic may be required.

You should know the risks!
Approximately 1 in 100 women having an early abortion will have complications.  For abortions performed in later pregnancy, 1 in 50 women will have complications.  Complications include:

* Excessive bleeding
Heavy bleeding is the most common problem after an abortion. Uterine cramping is normal after any kind of abortion. The main way that the uterus controls bleeding is to contract, squeezing the blood vessels shut.  Excessive bleeding is usually caused by pieces of the baby or placenta that are left in the uterus. The uterus cannot squeeze itself shut and keeps bleeding. This is called an incomplete abortion. If the pieces are removed, often the bleeding will stop. Sometimes the bleeding is caused by a torn cervix, which must be stitched for the bleeding to stop.  Additional causes can include a major blood vessel having been nicked during the procedure, or the uterus failing to contract after the procedure.

* Abdominal pain and cramping after the procedure
This can also occur during the procedure, as most abortion centers only use local anesthetic and the woman is awake throughout.

* Infection of the uterus or blood
Infection can arise from vaginal-anal bacteria moving through the open cervix into the uterus, as well as bacteria moving into the blood stream. Infection can also occur from incompletely sterilized equipment. Interestingly, abortion clinics are not subject to the same regulatory inspections by public health officials that hospitals and other clinics have. Some states have proposed regular inspections of abortion clinics. Infection can cause inability to have future babies.  In severe cases, infection may be life threatening.

* Damage to cervix
In order to perform an abortion, the cervix must be stretched open with a great deal of force. Forcing open the cervix can cause damage, especially in younger women. The damage may cause inability to keep the cervix closed tight enough to carry future babies to term.  Miscarriages and premature babies may be the result.

* Scarring of the uterus
Caused by scraping and use of instruments inside of the uterus, scarring can lead to inability to implant a fertilized egg in future pregnancies (2-5%). Scraping of the uterine walls may cause accidental punctures and lead to hysterectomy (removal of the uterus).  In extreme circumstances, it may lead to a potentially fatal condition called peritonitis.

* Ectopic pregnancies (pregnancies not in the uterus, like in the fallopian tube)
Studies point out that the risk of an ectopic pregnancy is 30% higher for women who have had one abortion and up to 4 times higher for women with 2 or more abortions. Ectopic pregnancies can cause infertility and can be fatal. (For more information on ectopic pregnancies, read our article here.)

* Unnecessary abortion
It has been documented that abortions have been “performed” on women who actually have an ectopic pregnancy or have miscarried. It is very important to have a sonogram before an abortion to ensure that the pregnancy is in the uterus and that the fetus is alive.  Fifteen to twenty percent of pregnancies end in miscarriage.

* Rh sensitization
This condition can occur during pregnancy if a mother’s blood type is Rh-negative and she is pregnant with a Rh-positive baby. Antibodies are produced during the abortion procedure and can attack the red blood cells of a baby in future pregnancies.  She must receive medication to prevent the development of antibodies that would endanger future pregnancies.

A woman seeking an abortion should be an informed consumer.  She has the right to be informed of all the risks of abortion and given resources for who to contact and where to go if complications occur.

Information obtained from Woman’s Right to Know Act (Kansas Department of Health and Environment) and LifeChoices Health Network (Joplin, MO)

Part 2:
The Very Real Effects of Abortion – Emotional. Facts You Need!

Read actual stories of women who have had abortions:
Janae’s Story
Ann’s Story
Nicole’s Story

If you or someone you know is considering abortion, it’s very important that you have all the facts before making the decision. You need a caring friend who will take the time with you to  listen to your concerns and walk you through your options. We will never judge . . . We will never push. We are simply here for you.

You can even schedule your first appointment without having to talk to anyone – just click the button below and pick a time that works for you. It’s simple, it’s free . . . it’s the step you need to take to have someone who cares about you helping you with this decision.

Book An Appointment

Think “Plan B” is Your Best Option? Get All the Facts First!

Posted on

The “morning after pill” or “emergency contraception” is something most women are at least familiar with. It sounds great because it’s just for emergencies. It’s your back-up plan. Its fast, safe, and easy. It’s contraception, not abortion.

But is all that really true? 
Let’s do a little medical digging to learn the truth (after all, this is your body – you should have all of the facts before putting something into it).

First, there are several over-the-counter versions of the morning-after pill. Plan B, My Way, My Choice, E-Contra are just a few of them. They are all comprised of the same hormone. They are all recommended to be taken within 72 hours and only for women under 155lbs. 

The brand Ella is in a different category. It requires a prescription from the doctor. It’s not a hormone and can be taken up to 5 days after unprotected sex and works for women up to 195lbs.

How does it work? 

The medication in any of these “morning after pills” works very similar to the drug in the abortion pill. It can block or delay ovulation, but, most importantly, it changes the lining of the uterus to prevent a fertilized egg from implanting.  According to Dr. Donna Harrison, a board member of AAPLOG, in an interview with OneNewsNow.com, “In a woman who is already pregnant, [Plan B] will cause an abortion, just like RU-486 does, because it’s the same kind of drug.”

Is it safe? 

Side effects include nausea, vomiting, cramping, tiredness, and dizziness. It can also cause changes in your period such as spotting or bleeding before a period. Even the Plan B website recommends not using it as a form of birth control. It also does not protect against HIV or any sexual transmitted diseases.

Is it really contraception?

By definition, contraception is the intentional prevention of conception (sperm fertilizing the egg).  Because Plan B works after unprotected sex for up to 72 hours (or 5 days with Ella), there is no good way to know if your egg is fertilized yet or not.  And since it works to change the lining of your uterus to prevent implantation, this would indicate that the egg is already fertilized by the time the Plan B kicks in.

Still unsure? 

You may still have questions. That’s normal. So, your best alternative is to talk to a licensed, practicing nurse in an environment that allows them to take their time and answer all of your questions thoroughly.

As it turns out, that is exactly what you can receive here. There is typically no waiting for an appointment – we can usually see you the same day, or the next day at the latest. And the best part is that a visit with us is always completely free of charge!

Get the facts before you make any decisions. You deserve to know!

Book An Appointment