Local constituents will have their own preconceptions and ideas about the role of Clinic 66, a pregnancy termination clinic, possibly unaware of the key facts of the practice.
This confusion can lead to public images created that don’t do these institutions justice, being mischaracterized for women who need immediate professional aid and assistance.
These outlets are designed to manage a potential abortion through safe and legal practices, working to eliminate the concerns experienced by women and their families.
Here we will outline what some of those worries look like and what the role of the establishment actually is.
Ensuring Safety of the Mother
Accredited and trained specialists working within a pregnancy termination clinic only proceed with operations and procedures if the safety of the mother is protected. The central guideline on this subject is 12 weeks – until this phase it is perfectly safe to undertake a legal abortion within 12 weeks or pregnancy during the first trimester. The second trimester during the 12-24 week period includes some extra provisions and difficulties, but it is not too uncommon to continue in that phase. Very rarely will the procedure be undertaken during the third trimester from 24-36 weeks, only when the life of the mother is under threat.
Adhering To Laws
Different states and territories across Australia have their own laws on abortion, impacting upon the role of an individual pregnancy termination clinic. Only in the state of NSW is the practice considered a crime unless there is physical or mental health dangers involved. The process is legal in Queensland up to 22 weeks, Victoria up to 24 weeks, Tasmania up to 16 weeks, Western Australia to 20 weeks and Northern Territory up to 14 weeks. It is entirely legal within the ACT and South Australia, and even within these deadlines there are extra provisions surrounding the doctor’s diagnoses. Patients do not need to fear about proceeding in an illegal manner because the terms are well established.
Being Pressed For Information
The specialist operators at a pregnancy termination clinic will need to ask the patient a number of pertinent questions about their condition, their feelings and some of the more general topics about becoming a parent and taking on that responsibility. What many women are concerned about is being pressed for information that goes beyond that scope, pushing and probing for explicit details that could attempt to make them feel guilty, ashamed or embarrassed about their circumstances. Whilst it is natural to have those feelings in a vulnerable state, that is not the remit of these outlets.
Being Empowered To Make a Choice
The role of the pregnancy termination clinic is to provide medical facts and outline the options that are presented to the woman. Some are concerned that this decision is ultimately taken out of their hands but so long as it is medically safe to continue with a termination, the choice is ultimately up to the woman. There are four key options that are on the table in this instance: continuing with the pregnancy and carrying the baby to term with a partner, doing so as a single parent, offering the child up for adoption services or to proceed with a safe and legal abortion. The differentiation in state laws across Australia does not ease the stress surrounding choice, but it is there for every patient.
Summary
It is perfectly natural to enter into a pregnancy termination clinic carrying a number of key concerns. This is a stressful time as unplanned pregnancy can cause many physical, mental and emotional issues to come to the surface. The best strategy for women entering into these environments is to be in direct communication with a specialist and talk to them about their recommendations. It is also advised to have partners and close friends and family members around to help ease the pain and anxiety.
