Crisis Pregnancy

Dealing With A Crisis Pregnancy

If you find yourself suddenly facing a crisis pregnancy, you may feel many different emotions—fear, loneliness, panic, and distress.

We know that many women find it hard to discuss a crisis pregnancy with their partner, family or friends until they know how they themselves feel about the pregnancy.

This can be very isolating, and can leave you feeling alone and vulnerable at a time when you may most need the support of your loved ones. By coming to a Well Woman medical centre for pregnancy counselling, you will have the chance to discuss all of your options in a non-directive counselling session with one of our counsellors.

Non-directive pregnancy counselling means that the counsellor will not offer any opinion as to what may be best for you. Instead, she is there to provide a safe and completely confidential space for you to explore your own feelings around your pregnancy, and the options you feel are open to you.

Linda Wilson Long, our Head of Counselling, talks about the reasons why women come for crisis pregnancy counselling, and what's involved in a counselling session.

Pregnancy Testing

Pregnancy testing is available in all Well Woman medical centres. The test requires you to provide a urine sample after you have come into our centre. After this, one of our nurses or doctors will advise you of the result. Pregnancy testing is free to holders of valid medical cards in our Coolock centre, only.

Information on all your Options

Within the pregnancy counselling session (which lasts approximately an hour), information on all your options—abortion, adoption and parenting—will be given to you. Our counsellor will take you through the practical aspects and consequences of each choice, and help you explore your feelings about your choices. Our counsellor will not judge you, nor will she give you any advice or opinions.

If you feel you need more time, you are welcome to return for additional pregnancy counselling sessions. Pregnancy counselling is free of charge—subject to continued provision of Government funding to Well Woman.

If you Decide to Terminate your Pregnancy

Well Woman also provides post-termination counselling sessions, and post-termination medical check-ups. Post-termination counselling gives you the chance to discuss your feelings with our counsellor.

Sometimes a woman comes to us for counselling soon after she has had a termination. Other women contact us some time afterwards, even years on, wanting to talk about their experience. Men affected by an abortion are also welcome to attend for counselling.

Post-termination medical check-ups are also available free of charge, subject to continued availability of Government funding. We recommend that you come to us for a free medical check-up three weeks after you've had an abortion. The medical check-up has three elements - our doctor will confirm that your pregnancy has ended, she will also confirm whether any bleeding you might have is within normal limits, and she will talk with you about your future contraception needs. For further information, please download our Post Termination Care leaflet.

All Well Woman pregnancy-related counselling services are free of charge—subject to continued provision of Government funding. You will need to make an appointment for most Well Woman services.

The Law on Crisis Pregnancy and Abortion

Women are often very confused about their rights regarding abortion in Ireland. Here are some of the facts:

• Abortion is illegal in Ireland and is not available (although in very rare cases a pregnancy may be terminated in an Irish hospital where the woman’s life is threatened by serious medical risk. Pregnancies are not terminated in cases where a woman threatens to commit suicide).
• You are legally entitled to leave Ireland to have an abortion. A woman may not be prevented from travelling abroad to have an abortion.
• Most Irish women having abortions travel to Britain—where abortion is legal—up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, within certain conditions. Most Irish abortions in Britain are within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
• If you decide to have an abortion, you are entitled to receive information about abortion clinics and procedures before you leave this country. Information about abortion in other countries may be made available in Ireland - under certain conditions.
• Counsellors and GPs may provide you with such information. This information may only be given in the context of a counselling session, and may not be given over the telephone.
• Information on abortion may not be given in a way that advocates or promotes abortion above other options.
• There are a number of counselling agencies and doctors who provide pregnancy counselling services. Some will give you information on abortion, some will not.
• In Well Woman, if you ask, we will give you information on abortion in the course of a non-directive counselling session.
• Some agencies offering pregnancy counselling will not give you information on abortion clinics and procedures.
• There are also some anti-abortion campaign groups which falsely represent themselves as counselling agencies. Well Woman is deeply concerned over this, and is currently campaigning to have pregnancy counselling services in Ireland regulated, to protect women from abuse.
• If you are considering an abortion, you are strongly advised to seek counselling before you travel. Studies show that women who have an abortion adjust better afterwards if they have had the chance to discuss their feelings and decision beforehand.

Crisis Pregnancy Agency

In 2001, the Government set up an agency whose aim, over a 10-year period, is to reduce the number of crisis pregnancies in Ireland. To find out more about the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, go to www.crisispregnancy.ie

Crisis Pregnancy

By coming to a Well Woman medical centre for pregnancy counselling, you will have the chance to discuss all of your options in a non-directive counselling session with one of our counsellors.