Are you experiencing an unplanned pregnancy and considering abortion? If so, you should know your rights.
Within the healthcare community, there is something known as informed consent—that means you have the right to know the purpose, benefits, and potential risks of a medical procedure. That includes abortion. Before you go through with an abortion, whether that’s chemical (using the abortion drugs) or surgical, your rights as a patient need to be considered so that you are better informed before consenting to an abortion.
Your Rights Regarding Abortion
Before having an abortion, you have the right:
- To a full and accurate description of the abortion procedure you are about to undergo.
- To know information about the doctor performing the procedure, such as current license, hospital privileges, and history of malpractice claims.
- To not be coerced or pressured into an abortion if you don’t want one.
- To be treated with dignity in a safe and sanitary environment.
- To know all the potential risks and complications of the abortion you’ll undergo, such as bleeding, pain, problems with future fertility, the potential for cancer, effect on your mental health, and other possible side effects.
- To be informed of all your pregnancy options.
- To ask questions and to change your mind, even at the last minute.
You also have the right to an ultrasound to confirm how far along you are in your pregnancy. We recently had a patient who thought she was seven weeks; she was actually thirteen weeks. If she had not come here first, she may have gone to the abortion clinic thinking she’d receive the abortion pill, and therefore, not have known she would require a more expensive, surgical procedure.
How True Care Can Help Before a Scheduled Abortion
True Care provides free ultrasounds as well as pregnancy tests and limited STD testing and treatment. You should be tested and treated for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) before having an abortion. If you have an abortion with an untreated STD, your ability to have children in the future could be impacted.
You also have the right to be informed about all your pregnancy options. Our nurses provide education on abortion, adoption, and parenting. This valuable information gives you the knowledge you need in order to make an informed decision regarding the outcome of your pregnancy.
Therefore, if you’re pregnant and considering abortion, contact True Care for our free services BEFORE scheduling an abortion.
Our nurses will provide you with a free pregnancy test, free ultrasound if your test is positive, and offer you free STD testing for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea; they can also refer you for other STD testing if you think you need to be tested for more than these two prevalent diseases. Our nurses will also provide information on your pregnancy options and will talk with you about the potential risks and side effects of abortion.
True Care also offers Abortion Pill Reversal. If you take the first abortion drug and conclude that wasn’t a good decision for you, it may not be too late—but you must contact us right away. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
Knowledge is power, so be empowered by knowing your rights when it comes to pregnancy and abortion. Contact True Care today at 307-215-9684 for your free, confidential appointment.