What Resources Exist For Extremely Low-Income Women Seeking Abortions?

[GiovanniC]

Okay, there's a girl that lives in the state of Kentucky (Louisville area). It's someone my girlfriend knew when she managed low-income housing apartments. This girl is a little... what you might call "mentally slow". Not super bad, but she's definitely got a medical thing going that makes her a bit slow on the uptake.

She found out she was pregnant three weeks ago. She says she was on birth control at the time, and I will take her at her word on that.

She is convinced (I'm not 100% sure why) that having this baby will kill her and furthermore she is not physically, mentally, or financially capable of taking care of this baby. She has decided to get an abortion. Her problem: She has no $$$$$$$$$.

I'm sure that she isn't the first low-income woman to choose an abortion, and I was wondering if there is anything out there that my girlfriend can refer this girl to. An abortion costs (I'm guessing here) around $500 or so and this girl isn't going to be able to cough that up all at once, certainly not before its a moot point.

Does anyone know of anything that can help her?

[MissB]

1. Start with Planned Parenthood.

Is she a girl as in a minor or just a young woman. If she is a minor, I wouldn't touch the situation with a 10-foot pole unless I was her legal guardian.

[GiovanniC]

4. She's Like, I'm Guessing 24-29ish. Not Real Sure.

Not a minor though.

[Streetdoc270]

2. Check with local health dept.

Have no other ideal...

[Vinca]

3. Get in touch with Planned Parenthood.

If there are any resources available, they would probably know.

[GiovanniC]

5. I Don't Know How Planned Parenthood Works

That was my first suggestion to, as it was the only thing that came to mind. She claims that she called them up and told her that she had to come in so that they could show her movies of abortions and told her she should just go the adoption route because many people want kids and can't have them.

This is coming from a (mentally slow) woman to my girlfriend to me to you, so it's hearsay of the worst kind. I don't know if that's really what they said to her... and I could see how they might say stuff like that, too. She basically was saying that they really acted like they strongly disapproved of her getting an abortion.

This is in the Mid-South, too, so I don't know if attitudes are different there overall or not. I think they might be, but I don't want to stereotype.

[MissB]

7. Call Planned Parenthood yourself and ask the question

I do know that Planned Parenthoods are run differently in different parts of the country.

Can your girlfriend offer to go with her?

[Justitia]

8. That does NOT sound like Planned Parenthood. Maybe a "crisis pregnancy"

center - which are just anti-abortion fronts that prey on the ignorance of girls desperate for info.

Planned Parenthood will probably want her to come in, but not for the reasons stated to her.

You have to be careful, there are lots of these "centers" with misleading names - they offer no abortion svcs or counseling.

[murielm99]

9. She probably called the wrong place.

She must have gotten one of those crisis pregnancy centers. They pretend to be like Planned Parenthood, but they use scare tactics to talk people out of abortion. Sometimes they use names that sound similar to Planned Parenthood, and even have clinics on the same street.

That could be what happened, if she is, as you say, slow.

See if your girlfriend can help her make another call.

[Justitia]

6. link for Planned Parenthood of Louisville

http://www.plannedparenthoodoflouisville.org/index_files/page0006.htm

Looks like the Louisville clinic has "walk in" appts on Thursdays.
If they don't do the actual procedure, at least they can examine her and make referrals.

Good luck to her.

[wicket]

11. kick for great info

:kick:

[jburton]

10. Try NNAF

About NNAF Member Funds

When women and girls cannot afford a safe, legal abortion, they can turn to the members of the National Network of Abortion Funds for help. These funds subsidize the cost of an abortion. Many abortion funds provide information and support, and some provide related services such as transportation, housing, child care, options counseling, or funding for ultrasound, pregnancy testing, or followup care.

www.nnaf.org

[GiovanniC]

12. That's a Great Link

I think that will be very helpful, thank you. Combined with Planned Parenthood as suggested by others, I think that will definitely help.

My girlfriend called her last night and asked who she talked to and it DOES sound like she called a crisis pregnancy center so kudos to everyone who figured that one out... I had no idea people did that although I guess it shouldn't really come as any great surprise.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[GiovanniC]

15. Do Not Stink Up This Thread

Thanks.

[hector459]

14. Planned Parenthood? Afterwards IUDs are a great birth control.

The women in my family have used IUDs for years with no problems.