Emily's Story
At 19 years old I felt invincible. I had my own apartment and a decent job. So many choices were ahead of me. When I realized I was pregnant, I felt like my future was ruined. I couldn't see myself saddled with a needy child. I thought a baby would ruin my life. My boyfriend wanted nothing to do with marriage. I was afraid I wouldn't fit in with my friends, and I knew that my parents would be disappointed. I had heard about this place called Parkridge, so I decided to give them a call. I made an appointment to see a counselor to talk things over. The counselor at Parkridge took the time to help me put things in perspective. She helped me face my fear. She helped me envision the plans for the little one growing inside of me. She didn't try to push me into a decision; she just helped me think clearly. She helped me get past the blind spots so I could see the big picture. I began to see this little baby in a different way: small but wonderful. It wasn't an easy choice, but it was right. I thought my son would ruin my life, but instead, he taught me to love. If you need someone to talk to, call Parkridge. They helped me-they can help you, too.


Allison's Story
You never really think about how one decision could change your life forever-at least I didn't. I hardly even knew the guy, but he seemed nice enough. My friends said I was crazy if I didn't talk to him-especially since he had been smiling at me the whole night. It was one of those things that happened so fast. I never meant for it to happen, it just did. I didn't think much more about it after that night . . . until I started getting sick in the morning and tired in the afternoon. It just didn't seem possible. It was just that one night-there's no way I could be pregnant, right? WRONG! I was scared to death. I was too embarrassed to talk to my friends and there was no way I could talk to my parents. I saw a commercial on TV for Parkridge and I felt the same way that girl did. I talked on the phone with a nice lady from Parkridge for a long time and she encouraged me to talk to my parents. I knew they loved me; it's just that I knew that I had let them down. When I finally decided to talk to my parents, I thought my dad would kill me. Instead, he cried. I had never really seen him cry before. I know now why he cried. It was for me. He hurt because I was hurting. I remember the counselor from Parkridge saying that sometimes a crisis can either tear a family apart or it can make them closer than ever. This whole pregnancy thing hasn't been easy, but it has made me a stronger person. It has been good to talk to the people at Parkridge. You can tell that they really want to be there for you. They've even been there for my parents, too.


Jacob and Rachel's Story
My boyfriend and I had been together for two years when I found out I might be pregnant. We went to Parkridge and they did a pregnancy test for us and it came back positive. They spent time talking with us about our options. We decided to go back again the next day to get some more information. We wanted to know what kind of help was available to us if we decided to parent our baby. We were still considering abortion, but we wanted to learn more. It really helped to talk through all the possibilities. My boyfriend and I had some serious discussions. Before I got pregnant, we thought about getting married. Maybe we would just do it sooner than planned. I found out I was 11 weeks pregnant. We were amazed at how developed the baby was so early in the pregnancy. Our baby already had arms and legs, hands, and feet-the pictures were incredible. My boyfriend and I got married when I was 4 months pregnant. It wasn't quite the order I had planned but it has worked well for us. Our daughter is beautiful. She is quite happy-she smiles all the time. Both sets of grandparents are so proud of their grandchild. In the beginning, we could only see the grief and pain from our pregnancy. Now we are living out the joys and challenges of parenting. And we wouldn't want it any other way.


One Parent's Story
"You're pregnant?"

My mind was reeling with mixed thoughts and emotions - disbelief, hurt, denial, anger and fear. I didn't even know she was sexually active. This is contrary to everything she was ever taught. And now this child is carrying a child and she's coming to me for assurance? If only she knew how deeply I needed the same! I remembered seeing the commercials for Parkridge Pregnancy Center on television, so as calmly as possible I suggested we go in together in hopes of getting more information. It wasn't easy to make that phone call - it wasn't easy to walk through those doors. But when we did, we received far more than just information. We walked into a welcoming and supportive atmosphere with people waiting to help us. We walked out not only with a better understanding of each other, but also of our options. We walked out better equipped to make wiser choices, and with the understanding that the people at Parkridge would be there for us no matter what our decision.


At Parkridge Pregnancy Center we recognize that women have a right to make their own decisions about the outcome of their pregnancy. We exist to help women make an informed and thoughtful decision. The information provided on this website is not intended to diagnose any condition or pregnancy and should not take the place of your medical practitioner. Consult your physician with any medical questions you might have. The information and services are provided with the understanding that neither Parkridge Pregnancy Center nor its suppliers or users are engaged in rendering legal, medical, counseling or other professional services or advice.


Copyright © by Parkridge Pregnancy Center. All rights reserved.
This material may not be utilized or reproduced in any form by any means
without the express written consent of Parkridge Pregnancy Center.