In School and Pregnant?

If you are working towards your high school or college education and find yourself experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you are likely to feel overwhelmed. Can I do both? Will I be able to finish school? These questions and many others are normal and at Informed Choices, we want you to know you are not alone.

We understand that it can feel stressful when life isn’t going as planned, but we also know that a pregnancy doesn’t mean you have to give up your current goals or dreams. Despite how you may feel, it is possible to finish your education while you are pregnant.

At Informed Choices, our goal and hope is that you feel listened to, understood, encouraged, and educated. Women and men deserve to be provided with complete, truthful information so they can make the pregnancy decision that’s best for them– and we are here to help and provide a safe place for you.

Do You Know Your Options?

If you are currently working towards your degree and find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, you may feel scared and consider abortion. Did you know that you actually have options? It is important to be aware of all of the options that are available to you before calling a medical clinic, as each possible option has the potential to have both immediate and long-term impacts on your life.

Before making a decision regarding your pregnancy, it is important to get it confirmed. At Informed Choices, we can confirm if you are pregnant or not with a confidential, lab quality pregnancy test that is free of cost.

If your result is positive, we can then offer a free limited obstetrical ultrasound to confirm your pregnancy is viable and how far along you are. Your ultrasound scan will be performed by a registered nurse or sonographer and read by a physician to confirm that your pregnancy is in the uterus and measure development.

Knowing this information will help you as you consider the options available to you:

Support is Available

At Informed Choices, all our services are free of charge, and confidential. We know that you might feel overwhelmed thinking about paying for your education and providing for a child as well. It is normal to feel these things, which is one of the reasons why we offer these free resources and support to anyone who may need them.

For those who decide to parent, we offer free parenting classes and assistance with various baby items, which can help take off some financial stress that you might feel while completing your education. Some of our resources available to you are:

Prep 4 Life

Our vision is to assist each young mom and dad by equipping them with the skills they need to have a positive pregnancy experience and to understand their baby’s needs. We’ll walk with you during your pregnancy and the birth of your child, offering education on how to effectively and lovingly give birth and parent your infant and toddler. These individualized lessons will provide you with important information while earning points to use on items from our resource center.

Baby Items

We have new and gently used clothing that may be purchased with Points earned from participating in our Prep 4 Life and Parenting programs. In addition we have other baby items like diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, car seat, and crib, etc.

Diaper Bank (Crystal Lake Only)

Informed Choices can help you with diapers for your baby. At your first visit you’ll need a current ID and you will be asked to fill out a confidential Diaper Bank Intake form. Each month thereafter you may come into the Crystal Lake location to receive your diapers, subject to availability.

Surround Yourself with Community

It is easy to feel alone in this season of life if you are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. But the truth is, we often put ourselves in that position. We can be so fearful of how people will respond to us that we often do not share with anyone what we are going through. This is one of the many reasons why at Informed Choices we are here to provide a safe and confidential place for you to talk about your situation.

After talking with someone from our non-judgmental staff, it may give you the courage to reach out to a family member, friend or someone else in your life who will be there for you as you continue your education during your pregnancy. There is a reason they say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” You don’t have to do it alone when you build up a strong support system.

Contact Us Today

At Informed Choices , we provide men and women in Grayslake, IL, and Crystal Lake, IL, with help, understanding, and confidential, compassionate care. All our services are free of charge, so call, text, or visit us online today to schedule an appointment, or stop by our clinic at any time for non-judgemental support in your pregnancy decision.

Grayslake, IL: Call or Text: (847) 650-5864
Crystal Lake, IL: Call: (815) 455-0965 – Text: (847) 421-1446