What if I’m Pregnant?’

 

“The condom broke. I know how stupid that sounds.  Its the reproductive version of the dog ate my homework.”

― Jennifer Weiner, Little Earthquakes

 

Pregnancy.  It happens.  Whether you are trying to get pregnant, or it is completely unexpected, it seems that Mother Nature doesn’t always consider your viewpoint.

Contrary to what Representative Todd Akin recently said about ‘a woman’s body blocking an unwanted pregnancy’, women can become pregnant as long as they are fertile.  Period.  This is science, not conjecture.  His comments infer that somehow the woman’s egg has a brain of its own, and is able to swim backward in avoidance of those unwanted sperm.

So, what do you do?  Fortunately, despite the raging controversy about birth control and the negative climate of politics regarding women’s issues at the moment, you do still have choices.

Many women are thrilled to learn they are pregnant.  Some who may have been taken by surprise at the news eventually warm to the idea.  Yet others, finding themselves in a situation from which they don’t see a clear path, want more information.

What are some of the choices available to Women?

Carrying the baby to term and raising the child.  If this is your choice, you will need to arrange for excellent pre-natal care during your pregnancy.  A healthful diet, proper exercise, and regular checkups by an obstetrician are important to increase your chances of a trouble free pregnancy and delivery, and a healthy baby.  Whether you were trying to conceive or not, the responsibility for that small human will be yours – until he or she is grown.  As anyone who has raised teenagers can attest – this is no small feat.  It will hold for you much joy, lots of worry along the way, and some understandable frustration.  It can also bring hardship – it isn’t easy or cheap to financially provide for a child.  However, many parents would do it all over again in a moment, given the opportunity.

 

Adoption.  In days past, adoption had a negative connection to the less than ideal conditions in orphanages.  Even as recently as the 70’s and 80’s, adoptions were almost all ‘closed’, meaning that the birth parent(s) and the adoptive parents didn’t know one another.  All that has changed.  Adoption programs are now often a collaborative process between the birth mother (and sometimes father) and prospective chosen parents.  Birth parents can review the stories of prospects, meet them, and be proactive in their choice of the best possible outcome for their child.  It is even encouraged that they stay in contact with the child throughout his or her life, if that is what they wish to do. 

 

The benefit to the adopted child is huge.  One agency, Adoption Choices of Northern California, provides one-on-one counseling for birth parents to help them make the right choices for them and their baby.  Pre-natal care and even therapy are offered, to support birth parents in a dignified and compassionate manner.  Adoptive parents are offered a way to be involved in the decision making process, and are encouraged to have open and honest communications with the birth parents.  In this way, everyone benefits.  Their success rate is very high, due largely to the respectful and caring process developed by their administration. Citizens for Choice refers all prospective adoptions to this agency through Women’s Health Specialists of Northern California.

 

Emergency Contraception.  If you have had recent unprotected sex (or, as in the quote above, the condom breaks) you may be able to use the ‘morning after pill’.  See our blog https://citizensforchoice.org/the-morning-after-pill-how-emergency-contraception-works/ about emergency contraception.  This pill may be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex and can prevent pregnancy from occurring. 

 

Termination.  For some women, abortion is the right choice.  There can be as many valid reasons for this as there are women.  It is normal to have some ambivalence about this procedure, therefore talking with someone who will give you the facts, not pressure you to make a decision based on their values or opinions, is important.  This may be the right decision for you, in your life circumstances, at this time.  If so, finding a clinic that respects your decision and your dignity is critical. 

 

If you are unsure which choice is right for you, Citizens for Choice offers unbiased, compassionate education and information, pregnancy testing with same day results, access to emergency contraception, counseling and exams.  Ultimately, the choice to have a child or not rests with you.  And, be very happy that it doesn’t rest with Mr. Akin, who clearly needs a remedial sex-ed class. 

“Be careful about reading health books.  You may die of a misprint.” 

~ Mark Twain

 

 

 

June is National Men’s Health Month. 

 

 

Nearly all of us have fathers, brothers, husbands, friends or significant others who are men.  In the midst of a very real ‘war on women’ in this country, one which consumes much of our attention, it’s important we don’t forget the men in our lives.  To be fair, most of the men we know aren’t telling us to put an aspirin between our knees.  They can’t run fast enough.

 

Men’s health issues are often neglected.  Actually, many men are guilty of ignoring their health until they are loaded on the gurney and on their way to the hospital. 

 

Why is this?

 

 

In a 2007 survey for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at least 30% of men admitted to avoiding going to the doctor unless it was an emergency.  The numbers went up significantly when the problem was sexual in nature. 

 

In part, the problem is that men feel doctors are more empathetic toward women.  A quick look at most waiting rooms in doctor’s offices can give you a glimpse into the reason – most décor and even the magazines cater to women’s tastes.  If waiting rooms were adorned with animal heads and Field and Stream magazines, would women feel welcome? 

 

In 2011, Esquire Magazine conducted a health survey for men.  Among other surprising answers, when men were asked which exam caused them the most anxiety, prostate exams were highest on the list.  This in the face of their overwhelming answer that cancer was the health condition they feared most.  In case you were wondering, over 90% said they could still see their penis when standing, but nearly 50% couldn’t touch their toes.  Makes you wonder if at least some of the 90% were using a mirror. 

 

We will truly have equality only when all people are treated civilly and respectfully, and their valid, but often very different, feelings are considered.  Citizens for Choice is committed to providing services for people in our community regardless of their gender, sexual orientation or family status. 

 

At The Clinic!, testicular exams are offered, as is counseling, testing for STI’s, contraception, and even instruction on using a condom.  Information and referrals are available for vasectomies, if a man feels that is the best choice for him. 

 

Citizens for Choice would like to celebrate the men in our lives, and reach out to those in our community who have questions or concerns about their reproductive health.  After all, choice about our reproductive freedom belongs to each of us.

 

www.citizensforchoice.org

 

Frederika Zylstra, The Written Word Professional Copywriting, is a writer providing compelling web content, mesmerizing speeches, inspiring, informative and thought-provoking blogs for business and more.  She is also the Word Wizard for Wild Women for Business.

 “Health-care decisions should be made by women, with their doctors and families — not politicians. Lawmakers should stop playing politics with women’s health and lives.”

–       Cecile Richards

It seems everyone is talking about contraception.  Politicians, pundits, serious journalists, and bloggers are discussing when a woman should get pregnant, how she should get pregnant, if she should get pregnant, and even what kind of birth control she should use.  Republican Super Pac donor Foster Friess even supported the ridiculous idea that a great form of birth control is for a woman to put an aspirin between her knees.  I don’t know about you, but in my knees, that aspirin might just get lost.

As far as I’m concerned, that method could result in a population boom from all the women crawling around the living room on their hands and knees looking for the aspirin when they lose it.  The men in their lives might just get the wrong idea. 

How many of you have played the game of trying to keep a dollar bill between your knees while you run across a park field?  It’s not easy. Perhaps we can ask Mr. Friess to demonstrate the aspirin method for us. 

If the subject of access to healthcare and contraception weren’t so crucial to the health and welfare of our nation, much of what we have been reading might be downright funny.  A group of aged men in the House Oversight Committee (headed by Rep. Darrel Issa) were put in charge of deciding the fate of contraceptive access. Women were excluded from the discussion. Did these men have a clue what they were discussing?  They have never menstruated, gone into labor, or been ridiculed and harassed for actually wanting to have sex.  In their world, they are congratulated for their libido and excused when they allow it to dictate poor and irresponsible behavior.  These same men seem to think women should practice abstinence.  Except, of course, when they are ‘in the mood’.  How can we have two people engaging in sex and call one a stud while calling the other a slut? They are, after all, typically in the same proximity when this occurs.

Perhaps we could level the playing field a bit if a group of female legislators held a meeting to determine if Viagra should be covered by health insurance.  (More than half of the prescriptions for Viagra are paid for by insurance).  Maybe men should put the little blue pill between their knees. 

The 1990’s were almost more progressive than the current political climate.  We are at risk of women’s rights being set back by 50 years.

Women’s rights are really everyone’s rights.  We all have a father, brother, son, friend, boyfriend or husband whose lives are in some way affected by our access to appropriate health care and contraception.  Thankfully, most men are supportive and caring.  The decision to have children and when to do so is one that ideally will be made by both parties involved.  It is a complex and life-changing issue, deserving of consideration and educated choices. 

According to Planned Parenthood, women of reproductive age spend about two-thirds more than men on out-of-pocket health-care costs. Birth control and reproductive health-care services are believed to account for much of the difference.

In a recent article by Jenna Chandler of the Santa Monica Patch http://santamonica.patch.com/articles/planned-parenthood-author-to-talk-abortion-birth-control she relates that ‘One-third of American women believe there is a broad effort under way to limit their access to contraception and family planning and abortion services, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released this week.’  She further shares, “Recent months and weeks have brought a wave of attacks across the nation on established women’s reproductive rights,” the League of Women Voters said in a press release. “As the presidential political season moves into high gear, these attacks can be expected to escalate and the accompanying rhetoric to grow even more heated.”

So, what can you do?  In our community, support Citizens for Choice and The Clinic!   The Clinic! offers education, counseling, and information on all available types of birth control and family planning.  Services are either low or no-cost, and are available to men, women and teens.  Condoms are always free of charge, and are available throughout the community in baskets.  Citizens for choice supports and fosters education and responsibility for our bodies and our lives. We strongly advocate for everyone’s reproductive rights, and honor individual choices.

www.citizensforchoice.org

Freddy Zylstra owns The Written Word Professional Copywriting. One of her favorite jobs is writing blogs for business.  www.thewrittenword.biz