What to Expect During Your First Appointment

Now that you’ve taken the first step by calling and scheduling a time to come in to Willow Womens Center, you might be wondering what to expect during your first appointment.

Don’t panic. Our advocates are there to help you. One of the women who came to us said, “They handled my situation in the most caring way. Very empathetic to the situation. Gave great advice and did not try to alter any decisions.”

A Caring Environment

First, plan to be here for about an hour. Our trained patient care team is a group of non-judgmental, caring, licensed medical professionals and advocates. They specialize in serving women who are facing an unexpected pregnancy. They understand the decisions you have to make regarding parenting, adoption or abortion.

You can trust our team to make you their priority. They will listen carefully to you, and they will help you, with your unique set of circumstances, to evaluate all of your options so that you will be confident in the decision you make.

Paperwork

Once you have become acquainted with our team member, they will help you complete the required paperwork. Your appointment is confidential and will not be shared with anyone else.

We understand how hard this is for you as you work your way past the shock and fear to a place that is more centered and calm, where you can focus on what is best for you.

Pregnancy Test

After completing the paperwork, you will be given a lab-grade pregnancy test free of charge. Sometimes home pregnancy tests can be wrong, expired, or taken too early. While this may seem like a duplication, there are times when our test shows the first one to be wrong.

If pregnancy is confirmed, your advocate will go over all options with you and answer all the questions you have regarding any and all options open to you.

Ultrasound

An ultrasound is the second, but vital, step that not only determines the gestational age of the fetus, it also determines whether or not the pregnancy is viable. Sometimes it is not and a miscarriage will likely happen. Other times they may detect an ectopic pregnancy, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

STI Screening

The third step is to talk with you about the reasons to test for two of the most common sexually transmitted infections – chlamydia and gonorrhea. Abortion can be an invasive procedure and, if chosen and performed when there is an untreated STI, can result in pelvic inflammatory disease.

If this occurs, you take a big risk. According to the CDC, pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to chronic lower abdominal pain, infertility, abscesses, and more. The infertility rate for those with PID is pretty high. One in eight women with a history of PID will have problems getting pregnant.

If the test comes back positive for an STI, Willow Womens Center can provide a prescription for Chlamydia and refer treatment for Gonorrhea.

We will continue to be here for you no matter your decision. Our goal is to empower you, to make sure you have all the facts you need to make the best decision for you, and to provide it in a caring and non-judgmental way.