Anya* was a stay-at-home mom to baby Tara who was just a few months old. Anya and her boyfriend, Dan, were struggling to make ends meet. Even though Anya was on birth control, she suspected she might be pregnant. One pregnancy test confirmed her fears; another was negative. The distraught young couple needed a true medical pregnancy test. Anya found that CareNet’s First Care Clinic offered free pregnancy testing and ultrasound. She made an appointment for the next day.
When the nurse shared Anya’s positive results, she burst into tears.“Dan feels we need to get an abortion. We can barely pay our bills as it is.” We listened as Anya shared her fears and worries.
“I don’t want to have an abortion. But I don’t know what to do.” Anya’s tears intensified as she said, “Dan’s mind is made up. And I understand where he’s coming from. If we can’t afford one child, how can we feed two?”
Anya and Dan are like many of the patients we see in our clinic. They feel hopeless, alone, and backed into a corner where abortion seems like the only option. But thanks to you, we are able to help them see all the options through the power of ultrasound—a window into the womb.
We invited Anya to come back for her ultrasound and bring Dan. But when Anya returned, she was alone. Dan was still adamant that abortion was the only option; Anya felt differently. “I’ve already carried a baby and I know this is a real person, a real life inside and I can’t end a life.” To avoid the pressure from Dan, Anya and her baby girl had moved in with an aunt.
“He’ll come around,” she told us hopefully. “I know he loves us.”
We encouraged Anya, making sure she knew about the resources we could offer, including a home at The Elizabeth House if she needed it. We made sure she was aware of community resources for help now and in the future.It was our job to help keep Anya from losing hope.
After several visits and follow-up calls, Anya finally shared some exciting news: Dan’s heart had begun to change. Although Dan knew another child would be hard, he told Anya, “We’ll figure it out together.”
Now Anya and Dan are attending childbirth and parenting education classes together. They’re earning valuable points to buy baby supplies in our Boutique, but even more important,they’re learning and growing to become better parents every day. Best of all, they’re both hopeful and looking forward to the future. As Anya recently told us, “You helped me stay strong through this difficult time. I’m so grateful for your support.”
Anya will give birth to a baby girl any day now. Thanks to you, Baby Tara will have a sister and Dan and Anya will have two little girls to cherish.
*names changed