Eighteen and Pregnant: Kayla’s Story

Kayla stared in disbelief at the reading on the home pregnancy test. Positive, just like the other four. She couldn’t wrap her mind around being pregnant. She was only eighteen. She had plans to go to college, get straight A’s, and apply to medical school. How did a baby fit into that plan? Could there be a chance that the tests were wrong? She had to know for sure.

Kayla walked through the door of WISH Medical full of trepidation, but the welcoming atmosphere helped her to relax a bit. She met with a friendly client advocate who asked her a few questions, and Kayla’s fears and hesitations tumbled out of her. She expressed pressure from her aunt, the father of her baby, and her friends to have an abortion and just move on with her life. She felt like that was her only choice, and she hadn’t even entertained any other options. The advocate walked her through all of her pregnancy options, allowing her to pause to work through the pros and cons of each.

The pregnancy test at the clinic was also positive. While Kayla knew an ultrasound would give her important information about her pregnancy, she was hesitant. She knew that seeing the ultrasound pictures would make this pregnancy undeniably real. She steeled herself and scheduled her ultrasound for the following week.

As the nurse started the ultrasound, Kayla was anxious, hoping to see a healthy pregnancy on the monitor. She’d had a good talk with her aunt that week, and her aunt had said she would help Kayla with the baby. She lit up when she saw the tiny heartbeat flutter on the screen, and she couldn’t keep the smile from her face. She was a mom!

Kayla signed up for a program offered by WISH Medical and worked toward specific goals with a caring Life Coach. She also attended parenting classes and  connected with other resources through the center and in the community. Kayla realized that with support she could do this.