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Isabelle is a 28-year-old college student with a three-year-old daughter who lives out of state with her parents. Isabelle is pursuing a bachelor’s degree with plans to go to medical school. She and her boyfriend live together, an arrangement that has taken a huge toll on her and her family. Her parents told her that they would not support her having another baby if she became pregnant. Even her sister told her that she would not support her decision to have another child and would never speak to her again. Losing her family’s support was a big concern, no wonder she was so upset about her unexpected pregnancy.
The conversation with Isabelle was difficult. With so many factors to consider, she was conflicted – school, family, Christian faith. But, she had made up her mind to abort because she “knew” this would be the easiest solution. Isabelle entered the sonogram room with great hesitation and laid on the table quietly with her eyes closed. Eventually, the sound of the heartbeat caused her to look at the screen and her facial expression immediately changed from scared to excited. She stared at the screen for a few seconds and began to ask questions about the size and heartbeat of her baby. Tears rolled down her face as she spoke to the Patient Advocate, “Can I change my mind about wanting to abort? I want to parent. I want to have my baby.”
Seeing her baby’s heartbeat on the screen made all the difference in her final decision. She was sure of what she wanted to do with her pregnancy. Isabelle asked for a picture of the sonogram and made a follow up appointment. She said that she would bring the father of the baby with her. In her closing conversation, Isabelle told the Advocate, she was so happy she had come to us. She felt much better as she left than she did when she first walked into the Center.
Hope happened.
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