By June Matthews, Sponsored Content
An unwanted pregnancy is one of the most difficult challenges a woman can face. She may not feel she has the financial resources to raise a child. Or she may be committed to a partner uninterested in becoming a parent. Or she may fear backlash from her family members, church and/or friends.
Whatever the reason – or reasons – a pregnancy falls into the category of “unwanted”, the fact remains: It must be dealt with. And with emotions like shock, sadness, anxiety, confusion, and guilt likely churning inside, deciding how to handle the situation becomes that much more overwhelming.
But Positive Choices can help.
“We are a group of caring individuals committed to walking with you every step of the way,” said Executive Director Sharon Stauffer. “We’ll talk with you in complete confidence, offer appropriate medical exams and information, and help you explore your options in a way that will allow you to make a choice based on facts instead of emotions.”
Positive Choices provides both free and low-cost medical, educational and support services to women, as well as men, facing an unplanned pregnancy or sexual health concern.
Founded in 1991 as Sav-A-Life East, Inc., this locally organized and funded Christian outreach was renamed in June 2015 to reflect its mission of helping individuals make positive, informed choices in a professional and safe environment.
Services include free pregnancy tests, free unlimited ultrasounds, earn-while-you-learn parenting classes that help provide for material needs, consultation on all pregnancy choices, sexually transmitted disease information, and an abortion recovery ministry.
Positive Choices also provides information on support services. For example, if a single woman chooses to parent her child, Positive Choices will help her explore housing options, identify resources to help with a baby’s material needs, determine the legal rights and obligations of the father, and find out what programs are available to help with job training, tuition, and childcare.
If a woman chooses life but is unable to properly care for a baby, Positive Choices provides information on adoption and connects her with agencies that can facilitate the process.
Should abortion be among the options a woman is considering, Positive Choice urges her to get all the facts before making that decision.
“Many women who work at pregnancy centers once chose abortion, so they truly understand your situation,” said Stauffer. “They know the physical, mental, spiritual and emotional risks firsthand and want women to know that while abortion may rid you of the immediate problem, it’s can cause a host of other problems.”
Whatever route they’re considering, Positive Choices recommends that women slow down, allow themselves time to think, learn about the problems and risks, get a free ultrasound to confirm the viability of the pregnancy, and understand their rights.
But most of all, Positive Choices wants women to know they’re not alone.
“If you’re facing a pregnancy or sexual health-related concern with even a hint of uncertainty, we invite you to come talk to us,” said Stauffer. “Our desire is to make the truth about unborn life and abortion known in our community and to help women see that their choices aren’t limited to that.”
Positive Choices is located at 1120 Gadsden Highway near Trussville. For an appointment, visit www.pregnancybirmingham.com, call (205) 836-0564, or text (251) 301-6728.
All services are confidential.