Securing an abortion in Pennsylvania is not as easy as one would imagine. Despite abortion being legal in the United States, Pennsylvania has put stringent restrictions on access to abortion services. Such legal restrictions help in regulating abortion care in a manner that promotes Pro-Life decisions by providing alternatives to women.
One example is state-mandated counseling by the providing physician at least 24 hours in advance of the procedure. The counseling session provides the patient with essential information, such as the baby's gestational age, the recommended abortion procedure, its risks, and the risks of a full-term pregnancy. Other information shared includes the availability of prenatal, childbirth, and neonatal care and the father's financial responsibility for child support, even if he paid for abortion services.
State-mandated counseling is essential for women before deciding to undertake an abortion procedure. In real-life situations, women may choose abortion because they got an unwanted pregnancy from an unstable or abusive relationship; often, the woman is afraid of breaking up with her partner and having to raise the child as a single parent. In this case, the woman deserves counseling to become aware of what the law stipulates regarding child parenting. She needs to know that the child's father is liable for child support, whether they are together or separated.
The counseling materials also inform a woman of the available benefits of medical support during different pregnancy and infancy stages. Women may opt to abort a fetus because they don't have the financial capability to access necessary medical care. Only by assuring her that the state may provide such benefits can women choose to make a Pro-Life decision and carry a full-term pregnancy.
Counselling provides the woman with alternatives, such as information about how adoptive parents can legally help with prenatal, childbirth, and neonatal care. This information is essential because it can give a woman hope and sway her to make a Pro-Life decision. This is particularly helpful for women considering abortion due to financial insecurity, or those who think that they have enough children, or if the pregnancy was unplanned. The only thing they need is another option!
The state-prepared materials given during counseling tell a woman that her informed consent is necessary for the procedure, and legal action can be taken against a doctor who doesn't adhere to that restriction. It is important to note that many abortion facilities are for-profit businesses. They do many things to lure a woman into a Pro-Choice decision. Thus, the information on available alternatives is fundamental to helping a woman make a truly informed decision.
In conclusion, state-mandated counseling in Pennsylvania is essential in advancing Pro-Life choices and allowing women to make informed decisions before an abortion procedure. Real-life testimonies from women who have had abortions show that many lives could have been saved if only the right counseling had been provided.
