what services do pregnancy centers offer?
Pregnancy centers have gotten a bad-rap in the media lately, and although there are some places that lack transparency, many are an amazing, under-utilized community resource.
So what services do pregnancy centers offer, and what is it like to go to one?
as someone who was involved with a pregnancy center from 6-weeks to after birth, here are some services pregnancy centers offer:
Note: this is my anecdotal, personal experience. this might not be the same exact experience for you.
A free pregnancy test and ultrasound(s)
Most, if not all pregnancy centers will offer you a free pregnancy test and one or two complimentary ultrasounds free-of-charge. At the center I went to, I called in advance to schedule my ultrasound. Before I could go in, they had to confirm that I was pregnant, hence the pregnancy test.
All of the equipment was clean, and the center was inviting. I never felt any unprofessionalism from any other the volunteers there. they printed and gave the ultrasound pictures to me, and I received a document confirming my pregnancy. I actually ended up using this document to establish my accommodations in school, as I was a senior at the time.
I was also able to request my ultrasound documents from the center at a later date so I could give them to my OBGYn. I had to sign a disclosure to receive them. They included simple information such as: the estimated length of the fetus, heartrate, and the fact that it was a uterine pregnancy.
note: the ultrasounds offered at pregnancy centers are usually to establish that your pregnancy is viable (i.e not ectopic) and there there is a heartbeat. after you have established care with an OBGYN, they will not see you for that purpose since they are not doctors.
in my case I got two ultrasounds at my local pregnancy center: one at six weeks, and one at 10 weeks. in fact, those were the only ultrasounds I received in my first trimester as it was almost impossible for me to schedule an appointment with an OBGYn at the time.
Parenting classes
Almost all pregnancy centers offer some form of parenting classes.
when I discovered I was pregnant, I was 22 years old and in college. I had never been around a newborn before, let alone was confident that I had the skills to take care of one. These classes allowed me to feel ready for taking care of my child as well as informed me about my pregnancy and the options I had for Labor and delivery.
I truly enjoyed taking these classes. I found them extremely helpful and unbiased. Also, there was a lot of important information such as my options and the considerations for a medicated or non-medicated birth experience. this allowed me to be a better advocate for my son and myself.
Also, my pregnancy center allowed me to take these classes online due to Covid. NOw I don’t know if this is true for all centers, but it is worth asking about, especially if you have other commitments such as school, work, and other children.
Here are some of the topics I learned when I took these classes
Pregnancy symptoms and trimester specific information
how to breastfeed, breastfeeding supplies, and how to manage breastfeeding after returning to work
How to take care of an infant
warning signs to look out for
baby milestones by moth
medical self-advocacy
stress management
and more…
Completing these parenting classes usually comes with some sort of benefit, which i will explain in the next talking point,
supplies for you and your baby
one of the greatest benefits of pregnancy centers the support that comes in supplies. Clothes. diapers. Formula. You Name it. If you are stressed and struggling with the thought of how to provide for your baby, look here.
At my local pregnancy center, they had a Earn while you learn scheme. for every parenting class I completed, I received a Baby buck, a currency I could exchange for a variety of products in their baby boutique. Each baby buck was approximate to about $10 USD of supplies.
With these baby bucks I was able to collect enough diapers that I have not bought any for the first 3 months of my child’s life, clothes for ages 0-3 years old, bottles, a diaper bag, baby swing (retail $160) blankets, swaddles, toys, and more. I also had the opportunity to get a stroller, breast pump and more.
My center also gave everyone who completed 12 parenting classes a free convertible crib (mattress and sheets included) or pack-n-play. I moved to my home state shortly before giving birth and they were kind enough to ship mine directly to my house.
Although I don’t know the level of supply at every pregnancy center, most, if not all will follow some sort of earn-while-you-learn program, so I highly recommend checking it out.
Support Groups
All pregnancy centers offer some form of support through groups, or information on how to find them. These include support groups for pregnant women, parents, grieving mothers and more.
Information
What you don’t know can hurt you in life. Therefore, pregnancy centers are a great resource for connecting you to information that you would have not known about. They will often direct you to the information on how to connect to services such as WIC (women, infants and children), healthcare, and more.
Final thoughts
That being said, pregnancy centers are an amazing community resource you should invest time looking into. If you’re experiencing an unexpected pregnancy, or just need some assistance, help is out there. Reach out.
Have you ever been to a pregnancy center? What services did they offer? Share your experience in the comments below.
