Udder

Getting an abortion is obviously a very complex and emotionally charged decision for the women who are faced with circumstances in which it is an option for them. Needless to say; there’s a lot to think about and making a final decision about whether or not to visit a pregnancy termination clinic can induce a high level of stress and anxiety in women.

Let’s take a look at some points women should try to consider before visiting a pregnancy termination clinic.

1.      What is your medical situation?

The most important consideration when thinking about visiting a pregnancy termination clinic is your medical status. Your health should come before all other considerations and if there is a risk to your life by carrying the child to term then a doctor would recommend you get an abortion.

When determining your medical suitability for an abortion, your doctor is the obvious first point of call. They will be able to give you an unbiased, objective assessment of your situation and give a professional recommendation referring you to a pregnancy termination clinic.

In Australia, this assessment and referral from a doctor is required by law for you to get an abortion. This includes assessing your mental health and capacity to raise a child, where a doctor can recommend an abortion if they don’t see the mother would be able to adequately care for both herself and the child.

2.      What is your economic situation?

Any parent will tell you that raising children, even just one, is an incredibly expensive endeavor and is therefore not something people choose to pursue on a whim. Having a secure living situation and ability to earn income are essential in order to adequately raise any child.

When thinking about choosing to visit a pregnancy termination clinic, you should think about what the expenses of raising a child would be. The child will be financially dependent on you, so you need to have adequate resources to take care of them by sending them to school, buying them clothes, food and other essentials.

You also probably wouldn’t want the child to have a completely utilitarian existence – you would naturally also buy them toys and pay for a fulfilling lifestyle. As you can see, the proper care of a child is a huge economic investment that will change the trajectory of your life.

3.      What is your support network?

Another thing you should consider when deciding whether or not to visit a pregnancy termination clinic is your support network. This means thinking about who is going to help you raise the child.

This is especially important if you are going to be a single mother as you won’t have a partner to help you raise the child. It also means that you will need to rely on someone else to babysit while you go to work.

Normally parents, grandparents and close friends are the obvious first people you would consider. It’s a good idea to conference with everyone you believe will or should have a role in helping take care of the child as well as support you through the childbirth process.

As you can see, the decision to visit a pregnancy termination clinic has a lot of considerations attached to it that go beyond moralistic arguments about abortion. Above all, the decision should be based on achieving the most optimal balance between the mother’s health and her personal wishes.