Claire is in her final year at a Rochester area college. She has the job of her dreams lined up following her December graduation. Everything was going according to plan…until she missed her period. Terrified, she went to the drug store to purchase a home pregnancy test. It was positive, confirming her worst fears. Her heart sank. She told her best friend Denise, and asked her for help so she could get an abortion. Denise asked Claire to consider going to CompassCare first – “Just to talk it through.” Claire didn’t see the point. “I’m going to get an abortion either way. There’s no way I can keep this baby.” So Claire scheduled an appointment with a local abortionist.
Denise continued to urge her friend to make an appointment at CompassCare anyway. Finally Claire agreed stating, “It’s not going to make any difference but I’ll give them just a half an hour if you want me to.”
Claire was extremely tentative, not sure what to expect at CompassCare. While Denise sat in the waiting room, Claire shared with the nurse about her situation. “I just can’t have a baby right now. I’m about to graduate. I have a great job lined up. This doesn’t fit in with the plan I had and nothing is going to stop me from getting there.” Claire’s demeanor relaxed after just a few moments of interaction with the nurse and she decided she would stay for the full appointment hour. During the course of the appointment, the nurse learned that Claire had an abortion some years earlier. Women who have a history of abortion are typically at a higher risk for repeating that decision. Claire broke down in tears saying, “I’m older now. I should have known better.”
After obtaining a positive pregnancy test, the nurse performed an ultrasound on Claire. Claire said she did not want to look at the monitor. However, the nurse could tell that she was sneaking peaks at the little 6 week old baby and she could definitely hear his beating heart. Following the ultrasound, Claire seemed even more conflicted than when she first arrived. She said she needed to go home and think about things. An emergency PrayerNet was sent out asking for prayer for Claire as she made her decision.
Claire came back for her return appointment a week later, with a beaming smile and a sparkle in her eye. She could hardly wait to tell the nurse her good news. “I cancelled the abortion appointment and I’m going to keep the baby! My boyfriend wants to support me and I am just so excited!” She happily engaged with the second ultrasound now revealing a bigger baby. She asked the nurse many questions about how to take proper care of herself for the sake of the baby. As she walked out she shook the nurse’s hand and said, “I’m so happy I came here and talked to you. I’m so glad I changed my mind!”