“Aleah” came to our women’s care clinic through the Human Coalition Contact Center. Driving more than an hour to reach us, she was searching for a safe place where no one knew her and she could talk through her decision without any pressure or judgment.
Before visiting our clinic, Aleah had made an appointment for an abortion – twice. But she hadn’t been able to go through with it either time. As she talked with our staff, she shared that she had another abortion scheduled for the next day.
Aleah didn’t want to get an abortion, and she was struggling with her personal conviction that it was wrong. As a single mom, she also questioned whether she could practically raise another child on her own.
Our staff educated Aleah about the resources available to help her care for her children, including her preborn baby. We also provided an ultrasound where Aleah met her baby for the first time. Moving and waving, her baby was bigger than she’d anticipated, and she was amazed at the baby’s level of development.
Following the ultrasound, our staff educated Aleah about the abortion procedure she would have, based on her baby’s gestational age. She was horrified and finally decided she couldn’t do it – not the next day, not ever.
Over the next several weeks, we followed up with Aleah to find out how we could best support her. She confirmed she was making plans to keep her baby, telling us, “This lovebug isn’t going anywhere…”
For the next several months of Aleah’s pregnancy, a volunteer continued to follow up with her, encouraging her weekly. Although Aleah lost her job and grew discouraged at the prospect of trying to find new employment while pregnant, our staff and volunteers encouraged her throughout her pregnancy.
Aleah continued to make the one-hour drive to our clinic for free baby items. And within a couple of weeks, she called us to announce the birth of her beautiful baby boy, “Nathaniel.”