The young patient was finishing her last semester at Fresno State, via remote classes during social distancing, when she discovered she was pregnant. This was not part of her plan. She came in to see Clinician Jessica D for a medication abortion at one of our Fresno health centers even though she was suffering from acute anxiety about being exposed to COVID-19 if she left her house.
Jessica had travelled to the site from our Watsonville health center because the patient needed help immediately. She needed a health care provider who understood. The young woman came in to the health center wearing gloves, afraid of any exposure to germs but feeling determined about the future she was charting for herself. It did not include motherhood. Not right now.
“Abortion is a really essential service, and we are specialists,” Jessica said. “Having an abortion is often a life-changing moment. This patient told me about big plans she has in the fall to enter a PhD program in astrophysics, in another city. She has worked hard to get to where she is now.
She was very glad that Planned Parenthood was there for her, especially at this time. She said how grateful she was for this abortion care that would allow her to continue to pursue her dreams and academic goals.
For me, hopes and dreams are behind every abortion story – even more so now.”
Tags: covid-19, abortion_access, medication_abortion, staff_stories