January 2024

What Can I Do if My Partner Doesn’t Support My Pregnancy?

You’re the only one who can decide what’s best for you and your pregnancy. Legally, only you can choose what to do with your pregnancy, meaning that it is illegal for anyone to coerce you into having an abortion.

If you’re feeling pressured by your partner to make a decision that you are not comfortable with, it’s important to reach out for help. Organizations like First Care can provide both practical and emotional support.

When meeting with one of our trained client care staff, you can ask questions, explore your options, and learn which local resources are available to you.

If your partner is emotionally absent or is attempting to pressure you into having an abortion, you can read this article for practical tips regarding how to move forward.

Be Informed

When facing a lack of support or opposition from your partner related to your pregnancy decision, it’s essential to be informed while making your decision. When you gather information from reliable sources that have your best interest in mind, you can be confident that you have all you need to make an educated decision.

Parenting

If you wish to continue with your pregnancy, the choice to parent your child is always available to you. Embracing parenthood in the face of an unplanned pregnancy has been found to be a fulfilling and rewarding path for many women.

While managing obligations like school or tight finances, you may feel unprepared or overwhelmed by the idea of parenting. The good news is that there are many resources for single parents balancing finances or their education with their new role.

At First Care, we’re dedicated to helping you feel confident in your decision. Our assistance extends beyond your pregnancy by providing ongoing support well into your parenting journey. If you choose parenting, we can connect you with valuable community resources as you prepare for birth, as well as material support and parenting classes through our Every Family program.

Adoption

Did you know that adoption can look many different ways between families? Depending on your level of comfort, you can make an adoption plan that discloses as much or as little information about you to the adoptive family as you’d like.

Most adoptions in the US are considered “open adoptions”, meaning that there is ongoing contact between the birth mother and the adoptive family. Many women enjoy maintaining relationships with their children through visits, pictures, or letters, but you get to decide what an adoption plan would look like for you and your child.

Abortion

An abortion requires terminating your pregnancy. If your partner is pressuring you to have an abortion, he may not have a clear understanding of all the available choices.

When considering your options, evaluating the immediate medical effects and potential long-term impact on your mental well-being is important.

While you don’t have to explain yourself to your partner, knowing the complete physical and emotional impacts of an abortion will help you if you are having an ongoing discussion about your options.

You’re Not Alone

Dealing with an unexpected pregnancy without your partner’s support can feel lonely and overwhelming, but you are not alone!

At First Care, we provide emotional support and free practical resources such as lab-quality pregnancy tests, STI testing, and ultrasounds.

Depending on your decision, we can also connect you to parenting and adoption resources. Contact us today to schedule a no-cost appointment where you can get the information you need. You deserve to feel supported!

Traveling Out of State for an Abortion: Is it Difficult?

Suppose you are unexpectedly pregnant in a state that either restricts abortion or bans it entirely. In that case, you may be exploring the option of abortion tourism: traveling to a state with fewer abortion regulations for an abortion procedure.

The news that you’re pregnant can already be emotionally taxing, so the effort to travel out of state can add additional emotional and financial hurdles. Read the rest of these articles to assess whether this decision is right for you.

Verify Your Pregnancy

You will first want to gather more details about your pregnancy to identify which procedure you will qualify for.

The most basic test you’ll want to conduct is a pregnancy test. After that, an ultrasound is recommended to gather important pregnancy information such as the viability, location, and age.

Details like the age of the pregnancy inform you if you’re eligible for a surgical or medication abortion. The location of the pregnancy will alert you to any possible health complications, like an ectopic pregnancy, which requires immediate medical intervention.

At First Care, we offer free ultrasounds where we’ll review your medical history and help connect you with local resources.

How Much Does Traveling Out of State for an Abortion Cost? 

If you’re considering traveling to Minnesota for an abortion, here are a few factors you will want to consider:
Will I drive or fly?

• How much should I estimate for gas or a plane ticket?
• How many nights should I plan to stay at a hotel?
  

Your stay will likely depend on whether you’re getting a medication or surgical abortion, which can have different procedural and recovery periods.

In addition to transportation and lodging costs, the procedure can cost $500 out of pocket if you’re getting a medication abortion. If the gestational age is past 10 weeks, you’ll need a surgical abortion, which can cost several thousand dollars.

What Should I Do Before an Abortion?

The good news is that you don’t have to search further to get the answers you need. If you are already in the state, we offer free pregnancy services such as pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, STI tests and treatment, and more.

At First Care, we help you get answers and resources in a safe, supportive environment. Contact us today to schedule an appointment!