Every woman that has decided to have an abortion has their own unique experience. The story below is the personal abortion experience of a CPC volunteer. 

*The CPC provides unbiased, research-based information to all clients considering an abortion. The experience detailed below should be used as a personal testimonial and not considered all-inclusive of every woman’s abortion experience.*

My Abortion Experience
“After getting engaged to my boyfriend of a few years, I thought I would have that happily ever after wedding and a father for my 4 year old son from a previous relationship. Things were OK in the beginning but he became increasingly abusive to me over time. It started out with verbal abuse. Then one night he came home drunk or high on something, woke me from a sound sleep screaming at me then violently began to beat me. That was the night I thought I was going to die. He had his hands around my neck and was trying to strangle the life from me. I managed to escape and get out of the house. It was the first and last time he would ever put his hands on me. I moved out of the state to get away from him, and found myself jobless, broke, homeless and in an unplanned pregnancy.

What to do?
I was devastated, emotionally drained, and scared. How could I care for another child when I could barely feed the child I already had? In desperation, I walked into an abortion clinic for what I thought would be counseling. The counselor reinforced every fear I was experiencing and before I knew it, I handed her the money and went through with the abortion. I regretted it even as the procedure started. It was very painful and the people at the clinic were callus, cold, and uncaring. I cried because I knew at that moment that what I was doing wasn’t what I truly wanted. I wanted to flee from the procedure but it was too late. I had violated my own moral code and it became for me, my shameful, hidden secret for many years afterwards.

The Aftermath
Almost immediately after the procedure, I began to feel the emotional effects of the abortion. I thought I would feel relief, and in some ways I did, but the mental distress ruined any relief I felt. I spiraled into years of depression, eating disorders, and terrible relationships with men, as well as panic attacks that I believe stemmed from the fateful day I decided to have my abortion. I suffered years of anguish as a result and I think often of my child and what she (I feel as though it was a baby girl) would be like now.

Healing
I was able to receive After Abortion help through CARE Pregnancy Center. It was only after understanding that I was not alone in my suffering, and that many other women experience some of the same negative, emotional side effects after an abortion that I was able to start healing through the amazing program they offered me there. If only there were a pregnancy clinic like CARE years ago when I made that fateful decision, I probably would have avoided so many years of pain and grief.”

No pressure, just facts
Many women find themselves in situations similar to the experience detailed above. You may have feelings of fear, devastation, and at a loss of what to do about the unplanned pregnancy you may find yourself in, but I have good news. No matter your personal standing on abortion, the staff and volunteers at the CPC are here to help and encourage you. We offer unbiased information about medical and surgical abortions. There are many staff and volunteers that can also provide their personal abortion experiences to further help you make an informed decision. You will not be pressured or forced to make any decision you do not feel comfortable making. You wouldn’t buy a car without reading the reviews, why not learn more about what to expect from an abortion from someone that has been there. 
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Call us today to learn more and schedule your appointment.

​You found out you’re pregnant and find yourself considering an abortion. It’s important to get some facts about your pregnancy before scheduling that abortion appointment. Here are a few reasons why getting a free ultrasound from the CPC should be among your first steps from the perspective of a medical professional on staff.

What’s going on in there?
“Window to the womb” is a phrase often used to describe an ultrasound. It gives the nurse or sonographer and you as the client an opportunity to see what is happening inside your uterus, where the fetus is typically located. An ultrasound allows trained medical staff to gain valuable objective information that is vital to make an informed decision about terminating your pregnancy, carrying full-term, or placing your child for adoption. Our medical staff are trained to look for three things, to determine if the pregnancy is inside the uterus, to take measurements to estimate how far along you are in your pregnancy, and to look for a heartbeat. This is important to know before any decision is made for many reasons, but also because many pregnancies end in natural miscarriage. 

Is an abortion really necessary for me?
Many natural miscarriages occur without a woman even knowing she is pregnant. For those women who do know they are pregnant, about 10-15% end in natural miscarriage. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines miscarriage as a pregnancy within the uterus that is nonviable with either an empty gestational sac or a gestational sac containing an embryo or fetus without fetal heart activity within the first 12 weeks of development. Although rare, some pregnancies are ectopic pregnancies. This means the fetus is outside the uterus. An ectopic pregnancy is life-threatening, and should have immediate medical attention. An undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous for women seeking an abortion.

Making an informed decision
An ultrasound will empower you with answers to these questions: 

• Is there a fetus in my uterus? 
• How many weeks am I into this pregnancy? 
• Does the fetus have a heartbeat? 

After the ultrasound, our medical staff will go over all the ultrasound information with you and answer any questions you may have. There is also an opportunity to get valuable education about the development of the growing fetus from the nurse or sonographer. This is one more way for you to have all the information you need to make an informed decision. By having an ultrasound, you will learn if the pregnancy is progressing or not. If a non-progressing pregnancy is discovered, and you are considering an abortion, you are able to avoid the potential difficulties and risks of having an abortion as well as avoid the expense of an abortion procedure. 

Bottom line
You deserve to be informed before making such a big decision. At the CPC we are here to equip you with all of the necessary information to help you reach your decision. You have a right to know what is happening within your own body. Then, it is up to you to decide what to do with that knowledge. No one can force you into making a decision you do not feel comfortable with, that is why we are here to help you make an informed decision.

Cost of ultrasound in the Shreveport/Bossier City area

• Not with insurance-by a physician or medical professional-varies from $75 up to $400
• PeekatMe $95 and up depending on package
• Adorababy-$50-100 for 2D
• The CPC offers limited ultrasounds absolutely free, contact us for more information today!