From providing assistance to women with unplanned pregnancies, there are some who decide to terminate the pregnancy due to various unpreparedness reasons, but find that their pregnancy is too advanced to terminate.
4 Factors that cause women to access services late, resulting in a pregnancy too advanced to terminate
- Unable to communicate the problem to anyone Explanation of factors
1) Feeling anxious, ashamed, afraid, hiding the problem, not wanting to reveal it to others, fearing parents will be upset. In some cases, informing guardians may lead to violence, being beaten or harmed, or if the school finds out, fearing expulsion and not being able to continue education.
2) Not knowing what to do, unable to decide on options, lacking information for decision-making, not knowing how to manage life, letting the pregnancy progress until starting to reveal it to parents, close ones, or starting to seek solutions.
3) Not knowing who to talk to or consult, unaware of counseling services, unaware of abortion service locations.
4) Being sexually abused within the family and becoming pregnant, not daring to tell anyone until the pregnancy is noticeable, then starting to seek solutions. - Lack of knowledge and understanding about pregnancy, contraception, and safe abortion Explanation of factors
1) Lack of knowledge about menstruation and pregnancy, especially among teenagers with irregular periods, not thinking they could be pregnant, realizing the pregnancy only when it is quite advanced.
2) Having used contraception, but with low-efficiency methods or unknown errors, leading to confidence that pregnancy is unlikely.
3) Trying to find solutions on their own to terminate the pregnancy, such as using herbal medicine, traditional remedies, pressing the abdomen, or buying drugs online. When unsuccessful, they seek counseling or abortion services when the pregnancy is already advanced. - Life changes that result in being unable to continue the pregnancy Explanation of factors
1) Partner/boyfriend initially responsible during early pregnancy, later losing contact, not taking responsibility, or having a new woman.
2) Partner/husband dies during pregnancy, turning from being ready to being unprepared, and wanting to choose to terminate the pregnancy.
3) The pregnant person’s decision conflicts with family or partner/boyfriend/husband, unable to find a clear solution.
4) Hesitation about the solution, changing thoughts back and forth, unable to decide on an option. - Encountering problems accessing abortion services Explanation of factors
1) Unable to attend appointments, unable to leave home because parents are unaware, burdened with single parenting, stuck with school exams, unable to take leave from work due to being in a probationary period.
2) Insufficient funds to access services, needing to save enough money until the pregnancy is too advanced to terminate.
From the above reasons, the approach to providing counseling services to this group must include counseling to create understanding about unsafe abortion, managing feelings to continue the pregnancy, social welfare assistance, as well as options and solutions after childbirth, and coordinating referrals for assistance. However, implementing these steps is quite sensitive and challenging. Counselors often worry that these service recipients are at risk of seeking unsafe abortions.