Ask A Nurse

You may e-mail info@theoptionsclinic.org the nurse with questions regarding your pregnancy, resources available to you and STD's. The e-mail is checked twice a day.

Q: Why should I have an ultrasound at your clinic when the abortion clinic will do one before my abortion?

A:  There are several reasons. A nurse performs the sonogram and can answer questions regarding the sonogram or your pregnancy.

We  provide free services, including sonograms. Through sonogram, we can determine if it is a viable pregnancy (is the fetus alive?). If it is not a viable pregnancy, you will likely miscarry naturally and you will not need to go through the trauma and expense of an elective abortion (15% - 20% of pregnancies end in miscarriage).

Through sonogram, we can confirm that the pregnancy is in your uterus. If it’s not, it’s called an ectopic pregnancy and is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical intervention. An elective abortion will not get rid of this type of pregnancy.

Through sonogram, we determine the gestational age of your baby (how far along you are). We can help you look at all options and discuss medical information about abortion procedures. This will help you decide what type of abortion will be best for you.

You are allowed to view the sonogram screen to confirm for yourself what we are seeing. Upon your request, we will provide you with a free sonogram pictures. Many women find that having a sonogram picture helps in the healing process after the abortion procedure.

Q: I’m pregnant and spotting. What does this mean? What should I do?

A:  You SHOULD talk to your doctor. First trimester spotting is common in early pregnancy and may not indicate a problem. However, spotting may indicate that the pregnancy is not viable. If it is not a viable pregnancy, you may miscarry naturally. It often is not a problem, especially if you do not have cramping, but YOU MUST let your doctor determine that. Bleeding greater than your typical menstrual period and cramping pain in your pelvis, lower back or lower abdomen could be a symptom of miscarriage. You need to see a doctor immediately, or go to the emergency room. If you don’t have a doctor, call us for a referral.

Q: I’m pregnant and thinking of continuing the pregnancy but I know my parents are going to kick me out. How can you help?

A:  We can help you by reviewing your options. First, we will provide you with a free pregnancy test and sonogram to confirm you are pregnant. If you choose to continue the pregnancy we will offer a second free sonogram for your parents, father of the baby and his parents to view. We will provide free counseling to you and your parents. If your parents do kick you out and you want to keep the baby, we will provide emotional support and "walk" you through the process of applying for services.

Q: I’m pregnant and plan on keeping the baby, what financial help can you give me?

A:  We do not provide cash, but we will "walk" you through the process to receive aid and refer you to the following agencies:

WIC, if you qualify. (Provides certain healthy foods for pregnant women, infants, and small children)
• Food Pantries
• Housing assistance
• Employment assistance
• Child care resources
• Free parenting classes, where you earn free baby clothes and diapers for attending the classes and where you can receive a free car seat after attending a class about car seat safety

Q: What is the safest form of birth control?

A:  The only way to be 100% sure you won’t get pregnant is to abstain from sex. If you are married, we recommend Natural Family Planning (NFP). There are no drugs to affect your body and if done correctly it is 95-99% effective. With NFP you will be able to identify the time of the month when you can get pregnant.

There are many different forms of birth control on the market and new ones are being added all the time. Options Clinic provides you with information on all forms of birth control. If you are going to use pharmaceutical birth control, EDUCATE yourself first and choose birth control second. Pharmaceutical birth control has many side effects and one tpe or brand is not right for everyone. Most women let the physician choose the birth control and through a process of trial and error educate themselves on birth control. Let The Options  Clinic help with your questions. Call and set up an appointment with an Options' Educator.

Q: When can a woman get pregnant during her monthly cycle?

A:  A woman is most fertile in the middle of her cycle, between menstrual periods. If a woman has her period every 4 weeks (28 days), she will get her period on day 1, ovulate (release an egg) about day 14, and get her period again on day 1 (after day 28). She can be fertile at least 5 days before and 2 days after ovulation, because sperm can live up to 5 days in a woman’s genital tract. It is always about 14 days from ovulation to when menstruation starts, but the time before ovulation can vary, especially in someone with irregular periods. This can make it difficult to determine when the woman will be fertile. Some women track their basal body temperature and other symptoms to help determine when they may be fertile. If a woman does not want to become pregnant, she should abstain from sexual intercourse during the fertile time of her cycle or use a reliable form of birth control.

Q: Condoms make sex safe, right?

A:  Condoms make sex safer, but there is still a significant risk of picking up an STD even with condom use. (There’s also a risk of becoming pregnant using condoms only – about a 20% chance in a year.) Condoms are most effective for blocking the transmission of HIV- about 85% effective if used consistently and correctly. For other STD’s such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, and HPV, the rate of effectiveness is much lower.

The CDC reports that:

“The surest way to avoid transmission of STD’s is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and you know is uninfected.”

“Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, are highly effective in preventing the sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.”

“Latex condoms, when used consistently and correctly, can reduce the risk of transmission” of other STD’s such as Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, genital herpes, HPV.

Q: Are your services confidential?

A:  Our services are confidential. We will not release any information about you unless you give us signed, written permission. We will not even acknowledge that you have come into the clinic. Confidential does not mean anonymous. We do need your name and information. If you come in for STD testing and you test positive, we are required by law to provide your name, contact information, and the STD you have to the Parker County Health Department. That information is for statistical purposes and in some cases they may follow-up with you to make sure you received treatment.