How An Ultrasound Helped One Post-Abortive Young Woman Choose Life
Leslie was in her late 20s and recently separated from her boyfriend when she found out she was pregnant.
When she saw the positive pregnancy test, she scheduled an appointment at the local abortion clinic for the following week. She decided she wasn’t going to tell her boyfriend about the pregnancy, but began to feel guilty and called him.
Leslie’s boyfriend was adamant that he did not want her to have an abortion.
“I told him that I did not need his permission and that I already had an appointment scheduled,” Leslie said.
She continued, “I already had an abortion in the past, so I knew what to expect.”
Leslie had no intention of continuing her relationship with her boyfriend, so she resolved that abortion was the best decision for her.
After talking with her boyfriend, Leslie began to have second thoughts about having an abortion. She remembered after her last abortion she felt awful for a long time after the procedure. So, she decided she wanted to have an ultrasound done first to see if it would help her change her mind.
A friend of Leslie’s told her about Solutions Mobile, a mobile unit operated by a pregnancy center in Palm City, Fla. Leslie’s friend encouraged her to make an appointment with the pregnancy center to get an ultrasound for free, rather than going through the abortion clinic. Leslie contacted the pregnancy clinic. They told her they would stay open to see her later that day.
Leslie arrived at her appointment nervous. She told the client advocate, Janine, that she was having conflicting feelings about having an abortion. The client advocate listened patiently while Leslie explained how bad she had felt after her previous abortion. She knew that her previous abortion and past abuse were affecting her decision because she knew that she would be hurting the baby growing inside her.
Janine asked Leslie if she wanted to get an ultrasound.
When she saw her ten-weeks-old baby on the screen Leslie began to cry. Seeing her baby on the screen solidified her decision for life. The staff prayed with Leslie and gave her referrals for organizations that could help with trauma from abuse and after– abortion care. She knew she needed healing for herself and her children, as well as help with underlying issues impacting her relationship with her boyfriend.
Leslie excitedly called her boyfriend to tell him she changed her mind and showed him ultrasound pictures of their baby.
To read more stories of inspiring women like Leslie, click here.
