By COURTNEY BUZEK
Cindy* believed she was receiving women’s healthcare as an easy solution to her unplanned pregnancy and that her life would go on as usual. She was not warned about the physical risks, nor did she expect the mental and emotional distress that followed. Research shows that abortion causes physical and psychological consequences that can last for decades, but women are frequently not told of these long-term effects.
Under the CPC Metro, the medical clinic The Cline Center in Fondren sees patients like Cindy daily who are at risk because they do not have the information they need, and who are choosing unsupervised chemical abortions.
With the overturning of Roe v. Wade making most abortions illegal in Mississippi, many women order chemical abortions, known as the abortion pill, online from other states or even other countries. These abortions take place at home without medical supervision and oftentimes without clear instructions and little to no follow-up care.
Where do these women look for guidance when they feel uneasy about the abortion pill? The Cline Center provides a private medical consultation, where she can ask questions and learn more about the risks of abortion, and options counseling, where she can process the decision and find the resources and support available to her if she chooses to parent.
The Cline Center also supports a woman spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally, and connects her to a community of support to ease the burdens of parenting and address the reasons women consider abortion. She receives support through her initial decision, pregnancy journey, and long after birth. She can access free counseling, parenting classes, support groups, and baby items such as diapers or car seats. She does not have to walk alone. Abortion is not the only option.
The CPC Metro sees firsthand the detrimental impact abortion has on women and offers abortion recovery programs to help facilitate healing and hope. Like Cindy, many women carry an emotional and mental burden and grief that, if unresolved, will stay with them for a lifetime. Women with Post Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS) can suffer depression, anxiety, guilt, regret and shame about their abortion. They may have flashbacks from their procedure and feel they cannot escape what they have done. This can lead to alcohol or drug abuse, failed relationships, suicide, or eating disorders.
The CPC Metro is opening the discussion about the value of life as early as possible and has launched several new programs under The Cline Center. Their newest program, Unscripted, brings sexual health education to teens and young adults, preventing unplanned pregnancies and teaching parents how to approach these issues with their children. The upcoming Life Walk also engages all generations in the fight for life.
CPC Metro Executive Director Erin Kate Goode states, “Abortion can be difficult to discuss with our children, but we need to instill the value of every life as early as possible. By engaging younger generations in the Life Walk, we are actively building a culture of life in Mississippi.”
*Last name withheld for privacy.
If you or someone you know has experienced an abortion, visit uncoveredjxn.org for more information on post-abortive healing.
Courtney Buzek is community relations coordinator for the CPC Metro. She lives in Star, Mississippi with her husband, Jonathan, and their two kids, and has been a faithful member of Restoration Church in Florence for more than 20 years.
