New Information Service Launched to Help Students with Crisis Pregnancy

Up to a thousand female students per year are contacting campus Student Welfare Officers for help with an unplanned pregnancy according to the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. Launching a new campaign today (25th) to make college students more aware of their options should they have an unplanned pregnancy the Agency revealed that;
• nearly half (9,000) of all births outside of marriage in 2001 were to women aged 24 and under
• 3,338 (50%) of abortions, sought by females who gave Irish addresses to UK clinics, were also within this age range.

The Positive Options Campaign aims to provide a detailed list of help services for females worried about being pregnant. It is being run on-campus in conjunction with the Union of Students in Ireland.

The various help services – and the agencies that provide these services – can be accessed off a new web site: www.positiveoptions.ie, by leaflet and by text message. The help services include details on;
• Pregnancy testing;
• Accessing free pregnancy counselling on all options- parenting, adoption and abortion,
• Information sources on social welfare and other rights and entitlements,
• Accessing medical help and information,
• Contacts for agencies providing post-abortion counselling,
• Agencies providing medical check-ups after an abortion.

According to Crisis Pregnancy Agency Chairperson, Olive Braiden, ‘many women with an unplanned pregnancy find it difficult to get help and support because they are unaware of pregnancy counselling services or how to access them.

‘It is also of major concern that over a third of women do not contact any doctor or agency in Ireland for counselling and information before they go to the UK. Through this campaign the Crisis Pregnancy Agency is seeking to remove many of the barriers to contact include: cost; a waiting list, refusal of information and the different perception of counselling agencies.’

Speaking in support of the campaign USI Welfare Officer, Maureen Woods, said, ‘there is a lot of ignorance and stigma in society around the issue of crisis pregnancy. This campaign aims to change the current feelings of many young women in Irish society who are made to feel ashamed and very isolated. I feel that raising awareness of the support network that exists out there for women is of paramount importance.’

‘Unmarried and separated lone mothers have considerable lower education levels than the average for all mothers,’ according to USI Women’s Rights Officer, June Coghlan. ‘Nearly a third of all female lone parent households have been assessed as being at risk of poverty. Hopefully as a result of this campaign students opting for parenthood will feel more encouraged to continue with their third level education and in doing so secure a better future for their child.’

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has been established to formulate and develop a strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy in Ireland. In addition developing campaigns on crisis pregnancy the Agency will also work on issues relating to the prevention of crisis pregnancy.

For further information please contact Olive Braiden, Tel: 086 8221476 or Caroline Spillane, Crisis Pregnancy Agency. Tel: 01 8146292

Note:
The following Health Board funded agencies are promoted through the Positive Options Campaign:
Cherish Phone 1890 66 22 12 (Lo Call)
CURA Phone 1850 62 26 26 (Callsave)
Dublin Well Woman
Lower Liffey Street phone 01 8728051
Ballsbridge phone 01 660 9860
Coolock phone 01 848 4511
Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) Phone 1850 49 50 51 (Callsave)
LIFE Phone 1850 28 12 81 (Callsave)
PACT Phone 1850 673333 (Callsave)

Many family doctors also provide services for women with unplanned pregnancies.