Abortion Counselling

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Kirsty33

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Hi

I am a med student from South Africa desperately looking for information about how to counsel women who want an abortion. I am part of a student run organisation that goes once a week into the rural areas in and around Cape Town, offering medical services. On more than one occasion, there have been women who, after finding out they’re pregnant, want an abortion. The standard thing to do is to refer them to the nearest government day hospital for further counselling and if they wish- an abortion. This counselling is often inadequate and prochoice. I am Catholic and 100% anti-abortion and would really like to help these women- many of whom are poor and unemployed. I find that I can’t just hand the problem over by referring them as I know they don’t receive the proper counselling they need but I feel so helpless to help them.

I would really appreciate any advice or resources on counselling from a Catholic/ prolife perspective.
Thanks so much & God Bless
 
Since I’ve never been in your place, I’m not sure I can give counsel. But I think you could tell the woman that you are uncomfortable with discussing that, then refer her to another person on your team. That’s about all I can say. I’m sure more people will come along and give better advice. I’ll be praying for you. :gopray2: :highprayer:
 
Are there Catholic family services, or anything like an Elizabeth House in the area?

It’s not enough just to talk them out of having an abortion - the problem that is causing them to want an abortion also needs to be solved, such as lack of family support, danger of being abused, or lack of resources to take care of the baby.

Elizabeth House is an organization that shelters women, protects them from family members or boyfriends who might want to harm them or their baby, and gives them job training so that they can become independent and take care of themselves once their babies are born.

Maybe there is an Elizabeth House, or something that is run according to Elizabeth House principles, somewhere nearby that you can send them to?
 
I’m not sure if we have anything like an Elizabeth house- I’ll try to find out. We’re told by the university to counsel women before doing a pregnancy test i.e. to find out how they would feel if they were pregnant,if they have any support etc. My biggest problem comes when they say they wouldn’t want to keep the baby- I just don’t know what to say to them. Part of me just doesn’t want to do the test then or to ask someone else to do it for me- but that’s not a solution and wouldn’t really help the situation.🤷
 
We used to have a pregnancy crisis center here. It may be still here, I don’t know. A woman can go there and are encouraged to adopt instead of an abortion. Which makes a lot of sense, there are a lot of people out there that would love to have a baby.
 
What about emailing Human Life International, or one of the Catholic agencies around where you are? Surely you are not the first person to have come up against this, and maybe they can help or guide you on to someone who can. There is also the American Life League. They are, of course, American, but might help.
 
It’s difficult to translate what work in one culture into another culture, but here are some of the things we do:

First, we offer help. We have crisis pregnancy centers that provide ultra sounds, advice on medical matters, links to free or low-cost services, parenting classes, low-cost baby supplies, job training and referrals, and so on.

Next, we raise money to support these services.

In our county, we “adopt” pregnant women – churches volunteer to provide support to a specific woman, so they have some place where they can always go for help.

We make ourselves visible with presence at various community events, so people know how to locate us when they need us.
 
Kirsty33 said:
Hi

I am a med student from South Africa desperately looking for information about how to counsel women who want an abortion. I am part of a student run organisation that goes once a week into the rural areas in and around Cape Town, offering medical services. On more than one occasion, there have been women who, after finding out they’re pregnant, want an abortion. The standard thing to do is to refer them to the nearest government day hospital for further counselling and if they wish- an abortion. This counselling is often inadequate and prochoice. I am Catholic and 100% anti-abortion and would really like to help these women- many of whom are poor and unemployed. I find that I can’t just hand the problem over by referring them as I know they don’t receive the proper counselling they need but I feel so helpless to help them.

I would really appreciate any advice or resources on counselling from a Catholic/ prolife perspective.
Thanks so much & God Bless
Click to expand...
These people can help: all.org

catholicphysicians.org

cathmsa.org

usccb.org/bishops/directives.shtml
 
Thank you to everyone for your suggestions:thumbsup:
& for the wonderful websites. I really appreciate your concern and all your responses
I found a group called Helpers of God’s Precious Infants They are based in Cape Town and fall under the group Human Life international.
They have a help line, providing pre & post abortion counselling and are planning to open a Life centre to help pregnant women.

Yours in Christ
Kirsty
 
That’s just what you were looking for, isn’t it? I praise God when things like this happen. It’s reassurance that He is indeed listening to us mere mortals. 👍
 
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