Options "A million questions raced through my head as I sat in the same place staring at the positive pregnancy test. For the next couple of weeks I acted like nothing was wrong, trying to forget about the test and living my life the way I always had. For a little while it worked but still in the back of my mind it was always there and it didn’t go away like I had wished it would. This was for real. I was going to have a baby."

It’s normal to feel confused, scared and overwhelmed with all the decisions that lie ahead of you. You probably have a lot of questions and Jewels For Jesus is here to help you find answers. Our qualified, caring staff are available to assist you. All of our services are free and confidential. These services include:

• pregnancy testing
• assistance in examining your options
• encouraging the development of decision making and problem solving skills
• connecting you with local resources/supports in your community
• free baby clothing (up to 6x) and emergency supplies of diapers and formula
• professional adoption services for those who choose this option as the best option for themselves and their child
• assistance in exploring spiritual issues

Adoption

1. What is Adoption?
2. Why would I choose adoption for my child?
3. Would my baby be well taken care of?
4. Would I have contact with my child?
5. Would I regret my decision?
6. Want more information?

Abortion

1. What to consider first if you are thinking about an abortion
2. Do you know your alternatives?
3. What are your legal rights before an abortion?
4. What are the possible physical complications to consider?
5. Does life begin before birth?
6. Post-Abortion Services

Parenting

1. Can I get Financial Support?
2. What Other Resources are Available to Me?
3. Are there parenting classes I can take?

Adoption

What is Adoption?

Adoption is the legal transfer of parental rights to people of your choice who will raise the child as a member of their own family.

Why would I choose adoption for my child? You may not have planned to have a child right now. If you don’t feel ready to parent your child, you can choose to have him/her raised by a family who is financially, physically, and emotionally ready to parent. Choosing to put your child’s needs first is an important part of being a mature and loving parent.

Would my baby be well taken care of?

Today there are thousands of couples waiting to adopt a child. They have to go through a thorough screening process to be approved to adopt. Those who are approved can register with adoption licensees/agencies. You will be encouraged to provide preferences in what type of family you want for your child. You will have the opportunity to pick the family of your choice and to meet them. You can also choose to carry on a relationship with the adoptive parents and your child. Your support person can tell you more about this.

Would I have contact with my child?

There is more openness in adoption today than ever before. Your worker will help you to explore levels of contact available in adoption and you can choose a plan that best suits your child’s needs, yourself and the adoptive family you have chosen. Jewels For Jesus facilitates fully open adoptions where contact information is shared such as full names, phone numbers and addresses. All parties involved commit to being like family to one another. This is fast becoming the most common choice in adoption. It is also possible to choose a semi-open adoption that includes the sharing of letters and pictures and may also include visits. This type of adoption is non-identifying. The best interest of the child is always the main focus of any adoption.

Would I regret my decision?

You may always regret that you weren’t in a position to parent this child yourself. Knowing that you chose life and a loving family for him/her will help. Adoption involves the loss of the parental relationship you would have had with your child. However, good things can come out of this loss for both you and your child. Your worker will help you examine and prepare for some of the emotions you can expect to feel if you place your child for adoption. Your worker is also committed to walking alongside you to provide emotional support and healthy movement through your grief, both prenatal and for the first year following the placement of your child.

Want more information?

We're ready to help. If you want to talk about your adoption options, ask us. We are your local Christian adoption agency. Give us a call and let's talk: 905-821-7494, helpline@JewelsForJesus.net.

Our services are free and confidential.

Abortion

What to consider first if you are thinking about an abortion

If you are thinking about an abortion, it's important you first find out if you are pregnant. A pregnancy test is only an indication of pregnancy. Pregnancy test results can sometimes be inaccurate. Only a physician, using a physical exam where he or she feels changes in your body, hears a heartbeat, or uses an ultrasound machine to get an image of the fetus, can "diagnose" a pregnancy.

An ultrasound can confirm if you have a viable, uterine pregnancy and can determine how far along you are (viable means one that is capable of developing under normal conditions). Your physician can perform an ultrasound and can spend time discussing your situation with you.

Some pregnancies develop in one of the tubes leading from the ovaries into the uterus (this is called an ectopic pregnancy). A woman could undergo an abortion in the early stages of pregnancy (in which the uterus is scraped and vacuumed "clean"), but if the embryo is in one of the tubes she will be in danger (thinking she is no longer pregnant), and she will have undergone an abortion procedure, with its possible complications, for no reason (since the embryo was never in the uterus).

Do you know your alternatives?

Before you make a decision to have an abortion it's important that you look at all of your options. There ARE alternatives. Choice is good! It is important that you be fully informed and you may very well find you have more choices than you think.

What alternatives, besides abortion, have you looked at and what information have you been given to help you make an informed decision?

Jewels For Jesus can provide you with a lot of information on parenting, adoption (there are many options in adoption now, such as open and semi-open adoption), getting support from the father of your child, finishing school, child care, low-cost prenatal care, housing options, financial aid, and many other resources.

Many women have made abortion decisions and later found out they had other choices, but no one ever gave them all the information they needed to make an informed decision. Abortion is an irreversible decision and one you may come to regret if you haven't made sure there is no other choice that would be better in your situation.

Our caring and helpful staff can assist you in exploring all the implications of an abortion decision and help you to examine your alternatives. All our services are free and confidential.

Would you like to make an appointment to come in and learn more about your choices?
Would you rather discuss, over the phone, some of the issues you are dealing with, and how we might be able to help you with your decisions and provide support?

Call our helpline 905-821-7494 or email us at helpline@JewelsForJesus.net.

What are your legal rights before an abortion?

No one, not even parents or a husband, can require a woman to undergo an abortion. You, and only you, will be asked to sign a consent form at the abortion clinic. If you do not sign it, the abortion cannot legally be performed.

Ask for, and write down, the name of the physician who will perform the abortion in order to protect your interests in case of injury. This is very important information for you to write down and keep!

Abortion is legal: malpractice and substandard medical care are not!
Know your doctor. Check to see if the doctor has hospital privileges and where. Write down the names of hospitals where the doctor has privileges. This information would be extremely important if there were complications. The chance of major complications is small, but, when failure does happen, it is your life that is on the line. DON'T TAKE A CHANCE!

Your freedom of choice gives you the right to change your mind and keep your baby, even when you are on the table for the abortion.

Remember that the decision is yours. It is not the doctor's or nurse's decision. It is your life and you are the one who will live with this decision for a lifetime. You can change your mind, if you want to, any time while you are at the clinic or hospital, before the abortion is performed.

However, once you've had the abortion you can't change your mind. Ask yourself: IS THIS REALLY WHAT I WANT?

Why not talk to one of our caring and professionally trained staff before you take this step?

Call us at 905-821-7494 or email us at helpline@JewelsForJesus.net. Our services are free, confidential and require no obligation.

What are the possible physical complications to consider?

There are many possible physical complications following the abortion. Statistically, most abortions do not cause physical injury. But, statistically, the chances of you getting pregnant might not have been great either. To help understand the aftereffects of abortion and post-abortion healing:

About 10% of women suffer immediate complications, 1/5 of which are considered life threatening: infections, excessive bleeding, embolism, ripping or perforation of the uterus, anesthesia complications, convulsions, hemorrhage, cervical injury, and endotoxic shock.

"Minor" immediate complications include: infection, bleeding, fever, second degree burns, chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbances, and RH sensitization.

Long term physical complications can include the following:

• Risk of breast cancer almost doubles after one abortion and is even greater with two or more abortions, or if the abortion is done on the first pregnancy.
• The risk of cervical, ovarian, and liver cancer also increases; these are apparently linked to the unnatural disruption in the hormone changes of pregnancy when a woman has an abortion.
• Abnormal development of the placenta can occur in later pregnancies which can lead to the malformation or death of the baby.
• Cervical and uterine damage from abortion can cause problems in later pregnancies such as risk of premature delivery and labor complications, which are leading causes of handicaps among newborns.
• Ectopic pregnancy risks are increased; ectopic pregnancies can be life-threatening and reduce fertility (or ability to become pregnant).
• Endometriosis (cysts in the uterus and on the ovaries), which is painful and also reduces fertility.
• Teenagers have a much higher risk of suffering many abortion-related complications, both immediate and long-term damage to fertility (or ability to get pregnant and have healthy babies in the future). And, women who have more than one abortion face a much higher risk in immediate and long-term complications.

Be sure you discuss these risks with your doctor. Your age and present or previous medical history may put you at a greater risk for complications. Like any surgical procedure it is of vital importance that you know the risks.

Does life begin before birth?

Life Begins at Conception

Some say human life begins at birth. But science tells us that long before then, even before the mother feels her unborn baby's movements within, the miniature infant wakes and sleeps, squirms about, squints, swallows, breathes fluid, hiccups, digests, hears, tries to cry, can feel pain, flexes his or her fingers, punches, kicks, and even sucks his or her thumb, or toes! All of this incredible activity occurs in the first half of pregnancy! Most pregnancies are not even detected until the 6th week. By then the baby's heart has been beating for three weeks, brain waves can be read, and the nervous system has been complete for about two weeks. He or she is about to begin moving, although the mother will not feel it for another 3 1/2 months.

For a Step by Step Journey from Conception to Birth, visit the Fetal Development Web site or Just the Facts - Life before Birth - Your First Nine Months.

For more answers about life before birth:

Post-Abortion Services

Jewels For Jesus offers caring, professional support for those struggling with the emotional turmoil often experienced after an abortion. Call us at 905-821-7494 or email us at helpline@JewelsForJesus.net. Our services are free and confidential.

For a list of other locations where post abortion support is available,

Parenting

"I may not have planned this pregnancy, but ready or not, I'm going to be a mom. All I keep hearing about is how young I am, and how hard this is going to be. At first, I was really defensive. I said this was my baby, and we were going to be fine. But then, I got thinking about what a huge responsibility it is, and I decided I needed to get help. I want to be ready to be the best mom I can be. And that means facing the hard questions and making changes. I need to be sure I'm ready, because my baby is depending on me."

Can I get Financial Support?

Support from the government is available in the form of "mother's allowance". However, it is seldom adequate. When making plans for your child and yourself, be sure to check with your local social services office as to amounts you can receive, availability of other assistance (i.e., housing), and how long you will have to wait to receive these things.

A worker at Jewels For Jesus or your local pregnancy help centre can assist you in working out a budget. This will be helpful in determining whether or not you will be able to survive on government assistance or if you will need to arrange for other supplements.

Other things to consider:

• If you have a job and are able, you may continue working up to, or close to, the time that the child is born. This will also make it easier for you to go back to work, should you wish to after the child is born. You'll want to check with your employer about applying for maternity leave and benefits. You should check into your options with regard to an extended leave. You should also check into the availability and costs of daycare.
• If the birth father is not a threat to you and/or your child, encourage him to contribute to your support. It is his child too. You may wish to consult a Family Law lawyer for assistance in arranging this.
• Accept any family support that is offered, either from yours or the birth father's family. Short or long term support will all be useful.

What Other Resources are Available to Me?

Jewels For Jesus, other pregnancy centres, community groups and young mother's support groups can assist you in developing life skills for raising your child. Some provide assistance with baby clothing and equipment. If you go to work or for job training, subsidized daycare may be available. Many high schools also provide programs for young moms. You can contact the Public Health Nurse in your area to assist you with any problems you may be having concerning your baby's feeding, crying, or sleeping patterns.

Mothers of Preschoolers is an organization which provides help in raising your child. Click on – MOPS to find out more.

Jewels For Jesus Mission also runs a Care Cupboard. For more information:

Are there parenting classes I can take?

There are parenting classes offered in every community. You can ask for a referral from your pre-natal class instructor, your doctor, or a public health nurse.