At Austin Women’s Health Center we understand that there are many reasons that lead to the decision to end a pregnancy. In this post, we look at the decision to terminate due to the discovery that the desired pregnancy carries a prenatal diagnosis of serious developmental abnormality, genetic disorder, or an increased maternal health risk during pregnancy.* We also offer some resources to support you along your healing journey.
Our office specializes in providing personalized emotional counseling and memorial services after your loss. We can arrange for a footprint to be made to take home as a keepsake.
Other office services include:
- Compassionate counselors to provide you the most respectful and personalized experience.
- We will work with your physician to arrange for further genetic testing if desired.
- We will work with your preferred funeral home/mortuary for burial/cremation services.
- Referrals for grief counseling services.
- Funding, upon qualification.
After Abortion Needs
The unique pain of an abnormal prenatal diagnosis and losing a wanted pregnancy does not end after leaving our office. For many people, the grief of pregnancy loss is accompanied by feelings of isolation, guilt, and loneliness. Our staff will provide you with local support group contacts, but it may also be helpful to explore websites and forums dedicated to this unique type of loss or read articles and books about the process of grieving. The following are our recommendations.
Websites
- Still Standing Magazine: explores and gives voice to the experience of child loss, offering resources and support grieving parents, siblings, family, and friends. They welcome anyone who has experienced child-loss, from infertility to adulthood.
- Glow In The Woods: is a community documenting the experience of baby-loss through writing. They offer writing prompts, facilitate a community forum and have a great resource list of books.
- Project Voice: is a support resource where anyone can share and read personal abortion stories.
- Exhale: offers after-abortion counseling and support services and is working to create a community climate of non-judgmental and caring abortion support options.
- All Options: offers balanced, unbiased, and judgment-free information to people seeking support with any parenting experience (pregnancy, parenting, abortion, adoption).
- Faces of Loss: Faces of Loss, Faces of Hope is a place to come together and share stories and our faces with others who may be looking for reassurance that they are not alone.
Articles
- “How It Feels to Grieve for an Abortion You Don’t Regret.” Healthline. (July 14, 2019): These powerful first-person stories explore the many reasons and ways we experience grief and navigate a new normal.
- Jacqui Morton on WHAT GROWS FROM GRIEF. (2016, May 6). Retrieved July 14, 2019: a beautiful and personal essay on loss and grief
- Think Progress from Google Search: (March 2015). Retrieved July 14, 2019: Women facing devastating prenatal diagnosis’ tell their stories and realize they are part of a community.
- Abortion After 20 Weeks: Women Share Their Stories.” (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2019; 20 weeks + abortion stories
- The agony of ending a wanted late-term pregnancy: three women speak out. The Guardian; Megas, N. (2017, April 18): three women speak out about their wanted pregnancies that tragically (for them) ended in abortion.
- Austin Women’s Health Center – Post-Abortion Care page; Our tips for taking care of yourself post-abortion.
Books
- Grieving: A Beginner’s Guide; This book is designed to help those in pain – and specifically those who have lost someone through death.
- Modern Loss: Candid Conversation About Grief. Beginners Welcome.; an irreverent collection of essays offers a roadmap for navigating grief in the modern age.
- Parenthood Lost: Healing the Pain after Miscarriage, Stillbirth, and Infant Death; In Parenthood Lost, Dr. Michael Berman shares his insights from his experiences helping parents deal with their grief and unravels the confusing genetic and medical causes of miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death. Through original poetry, firsthand stories told by parents, and articles describing genetic and medical disorders, Parenthood Lost offers clarification and hope for parents who have suffered this tragedy.
- Life Touches Life: A Mother’s Story of Stillbirth and Healing; Life Touches Life is for every mother and father of a stillborn child, and anyone who wants to understand and love them.
- An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination; if you have ever experienced a loss or love someone who has, the company of this remarkable book will help you go on. With humor and warmth and unfailing generosity, McCracken considers the nature of love and grief.
- Once More We Saw Stars; with raw honesty, deep emotion, and exquisite tenderness, Jayson Greene captures both the fragility of life and absoluteness of death and most important of all, the unconquerable power of love. This is an unforgettable memoir of courage and transformation–and a book that will change the way you look at the world.
We hope these resources are valuable for you and you find some comfort in knowing you are not alone. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us to discuss additional resources and recommendations.
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References
*Edward Klatt – https://webpath.med.utah.edu/TUTORIAL/PRENATAL/PRENATAL.html
*Warren Hern – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4238813/ Fetal Diagnostic Indications For Second and Third Trimester Outpatient Pregnancy Termination