Resources We Like
From our Hearts to Yours
A Great Place to Start...
Choice Link Up: This is THE Pro-Choice Support and Resource site. Great place to start. No worries about tricks from anti-choicers. This site is a directory listing for information about reproductive health and rights, including abortion. You will find links to accurate health information, services, pro-choice organizations, rights groups, resources and discussion sites.
Choice Link Up believes it should be easy to find unbiased pro-choice information on the web.
PAGE CONTENTS
Abortion Experience
Includes resources for:
- Decision Making
- Men and Abortion
- Post Abortion Emotional Health
- Women's Abortion Experience Stories
- Abortion Support Talklines
- Abortion Literature
Religion and Abortion
Non-Surgical Abortion ("Abortion Pill")
Women's Health
Sexuality
Help & Information: Domestic Violence and Drug Abuse
Michigan Organizations & Links: Women's Issues
National Abortion Provider Organizations
National Abortion, Reproductive and Women's Rights Organizations
The Abortion Experience
We have found these Internet sites helpful
when thinking about abortion OR after your abortion:
Northland Family Planning : Our own web site is filled with helpful information about and thoughtful considerations of all facets of abortion health and total reproductive care. In addition, there are sections for friends, family and male partners who need support too.
Mom, Dad, I'm Pregnant... : This new site offers help for both teens and parents to communicate during this challenging time.
Pregnancy Options.info : This comprehensive website and workbook is helpful for those wishing to sort out varying emotions before and after an abortion. In fact, ask for a copy at our reception desk.
Men and Abortion : This website is designed especially for men. You will find many of the questions men ask are covered and there is an opportunity to read the stories of other men and to tell your own.
Imagine Counseling : If you are having a hard time emotionally either before or after an abortion, this website links you to some self-probing questions and contact with experienced therapists who have worked with abortion patients across the country. You deserve to feel peace. There is no fee for the initial conversation, but there is a fee for the counseling, which you will establish with your counselor.
Peace After Abortion: This site is based on the book, Peace After Abortion. Although most women who have abortions do not experience negative feelings, a significant number do. You will find information here to help you understand the origin of your emotional and spiritual pain. You will also find the stories of other women who have experienced emotional pain related to an abortion.
The Hope Clinic for Women - Publications : This site offers several helpful pamphlets you can order to assist you in working through your own emotions, and offers reading for others involved in the abortion experience, such as family and partners.
The Birds & Bees Project: This website is provided by Pro-Choice Resources, which has a mission to educate youth and larger community about the full range of reproductive health issues. They believe knowledge is the key to making informed and healthy decisions regarding sexuality. This website has full and accurate information on birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and the realities of abortion, adoption and parenting.
Goat-in-the-Road: is a Place for Buddhist Practice providing retreats in Buddhist meditation, teaching the Buddha Dharma and offering ceremonies, including A Ceremony for Children Who Have Died, [See: Writings: “Buddha's Way”] and offers an opportunity to address issues such as abortion, SIDS, miscarriage, stillbirth, death after birth, life-threatening illnesses, death and dying, loss, grief, and grieving.
We found these sites to be great places to tell your story
and read the stories of other women:
I'm Not Sorry.net : This is a site where women can share their positive experiences with abortion. Stories are listed by the name you choose.
Our Truths - Nuestras Verdades: is a print and on-line bilingual magazine of stories, poems and conversations bringing to light the diversity of the abortion experience in a safe place to speak. Open to submissions.
Abortion Chronicles - The Project : This site is a place for women to record their stores and speak their own truth about their abortion experience. Note: These stories may be used as the basis for a play being written about women and abortion.
Books of Stories by Women with Pregnancy Loss:
(Also available on Amazon.com)
Miscarriage: Women Sharing from the Heart
by Marie Allen and Shelly Marks (1993)
John Wiley and Sons Inc.: USA. The personal stories of 100 women talking about their miscarriage experiences helps readers understand and work through the deep feelings and concerns and, most importantly, offers reassurance in knowing you are not alone. The authors offer support, empathy, and a clear path towards healing
The Adoption Reader: Birth Mothers, Adoptive Mothers, and
Adopted Daughters Tell Their Stories
by Susan Wadia-Ells, Editor; Avalon Publishing Group (October, 1995) This is a remarkable set of essays from birth mothers, adopted mothers, and adopted daughters. Each story reveals a different facet of the adoption process and of family life in general.
Abortion: My Choice, God's Grace: Christian Women Tell Their Stories
by Anne Eggebrotten, ed., New Paradigm Books, Pasadena, CA. These are true and compelling stories of women of faith who chose abortion.
Supportive Talk-Lines:
Backline -This confidential and free Talkline is dedicated to addressing the broad range of experiences and emotions surrounding pregnancy, parenting, adoption and abortion to women and their loved ones. Talkline services are available seven days a week to callers nationwide. CALL 1-888-493-0092
Additional Resources found helpful by many other women:
(Most books available on Amazon.com)
Peace After Abortion: A Pro-Choice Self-Help Guide for Women and Men
by Ava Torre-Bueno, LCSW, Pimpernel Press, PO Box 33110 San Diego, CA 92163-3110 or 1-800-352-6305. This practical and compassionate book is designed to help women who are troubled after an abortion to deal with their feelings, working with both the mind and body.
The Healing Choice: Your Guide to Emotional Recovery After an Abortion
by Candace DePuy, PhD and Dana Dovitch, PhD, Simon & Schuster, available in bookstores or 1-800-999-7909. This text initially addresses the reality of pregnancy and the myths surrounding motherhood, then details the procedure of abortion from clinical as well as emotional standpoints. The authors then move to the ongoing process of transformation and healing: of conflicted post abortion feelings, seeking of forgiveness, and acceptance. Throughout, the book features exercises designed to help women conflicted over having had abortions reclaim their bodies and achieve a state of peace.
Unspeakable Losses: Understanding the Experience
of Pregnancy Loss, Miscarriage, and Abortion
by Kim Kluger-Bell W. W. Norton Book & Co., Inc. 1998. These in-depth stories from would-be parents (including the author) discuss such diverse issues as multifetal reductions (more and more common as in vitro fertilization procedures become widespread), the male experience of pregnancy loss, and how a woman can be pro-choice yet still suffer grief over choosing abortion. The author offers tools for moving through the grieving process, discussing losses, and helping loved ones who have experienced pregnancy loss.
A Time to Decide, A Time to Heal, Especially for Women
who have Ended a Pregnancy due to Fetal Problems
by Molly A. Minnick, Kathleen J. Delp, Mary C. Ciotti, Pineapple Press PO 312 St. Johns MN 48879. Many have found this compassionate and empathetic book helpful as an important addition to the medical information about fetal abnormality. This book can reaffirm the choice made out of the utmost love for an unborn child.
In Good Conscience: A Practical, Emotional, and Spiritual Guide
to Deciding Whether to Have an Abortion
by Anna Runkle, 1998, Jossey-Bass Publishers, San Francisco. This is another practical and compassionate guide to help a woman choose the best solution for herself and support her throughout the process. Runkle discusses abortion, single parenting, and adoption, and provides a framework with worksheets for decision-making and resources for each option.
Religion and Abortion
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice: is the religious voice for reproductive choice through the moral power of religious communities.
Spiritual Youth for Reproductvie Freedom: is a project of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. SYRF is written by and for youth and young adults between the ages of 16-30. It is an online and real-world community for young, pro-choice people of faith.
Catholics For A Free Choice: is a social justice organization devoted to research, policy analysis, education and advocacy on issues of gender equality and reproductive health.
National Council of Jewish Women: is a volunteer organization that works through research, education, advocacy and community service to improve the quality of life for women, children and families and strives to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all. The Council believes that comprehensive, confidential, accessible family planning and reproductive health services should be available for all, regardless of age or ability to pay.
Abortion: Finding Your Own Truth
by Corrintha Rebecca Bennett, pamphlet from Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice 1025 Vermont Ave. NW #1130 Washington DC 20005 (202) 628-7700.
Sacred Choices: The Right to Contraception and Abortion in Ten World Religions
by Daniel Maguire, Augsburg Fortress Publishers (July, 2001). Also available on Amazon.com. This new addition to the Sacred Energies series aims to show how ten major religious traditions in fact contain strong affirmations of the right to family planning, including contraception and even, when necessary, abortion.
Non-Surgical Abortion
Danco Laboratories: a women's health pharmaceutical company, is the American distributor of Mifeprex and RU486. The site has comprehensive information on this pill, the first FDA approved pill for ending early pregnancy.
The National Abortion Federation (NAF): is playing a key role in educating health care providers and the public about this new abortion option, and we want to keep you up to date.
Pregnancy Options.info: The Ferre Institute publishes a comprehensive and helpful guide to help women decide between surgical abortion and non-surgical abortion.
Women's Health
The Birds & Bees Project : This website is provided by Pro-Choice Resources, which has a mission to educate youth and larger community about the full range of reproductive health issues. They believe knowledge is the key to making informed and healthy decisions regarding sexuality. This website has full and accurate information on birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and the realities of abortion, adoption and parenting.
Susan G. Komen, Foundation: This site is home of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, one of the nations leading breast health organizations. The site has news and information about breast cancer and Komen events, including the Race for the Cure and 1.800 I'M AWARE®, a helpline that provides the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about breast health or breast cancer concerns.
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute: provides comprehensive cancer prevention, screening, diagnostics, treatment and supportive care to more than 10,000 new patients each year. Their web site offers cancer information on prevention, screening, early detection, and the most-advanced treatments.
The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC): a service of the Office on Women's Health in the Department of Health and Human Services, provides a gateway to the vast array of Federal and other women's health information resources. The web site can help you link to, read, and download a wide variety of women's health-related material developed by the Department of Health and Human Services, other Federal agencies, and private sector resources.
Emergency Contraception: Hotline and Website. 1-888-NOT-2-LATE
Sexuality
American Social Health Association : American Social Health Association is a nonprofit organization dedicated to stopping sexually transmitted diseases and their harmful consequences to individuals, families and communities. Site has links and educational information about STDs and HPV. AIDS and STD hotlines: Phone numbers are 800-227-8922 or 800-342-AIDS.
American Social Health Association: Answers your questions about teen sexual health and sexually transmitted disease prevention from the American Social Health Association.
Oregon Health & Science University - Gynecological Health: A huge collection of links to places to get accurate and safe information on women's health.
The Body: The Complete HIV/AIDS Resource: This is an extremely comprehensive HIV/AIDS Internet resource.
AIDS.org: The mission of AIDS.ORG is to help prevent HIV infections and to improve the lives of those affected by HIV and AIDS by providing education and facilitating the free and open exchange of knowledge at an easy-to-find centralized website. AIDS.ORG has been awarded the "Health on the Net Foundation" Code of Conduct seal for reliability and credibility of information in the field of healthcare.
The Birds & Bees Project : This website is provided by Pro-Choice Resources, which has a mission to educate youth and larger community about the full range of reproductive health issues. They believe knowledge is the key to making informed and healthy decisions regarding sexuality. This website has full and accurate information on birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, and the realities of abortion, adoption and parenting.
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS): This site contains information on human sexuality research and sexuality education programs.
Help & Information: Domestic Violence and Drug Abuse
Michigan Coalition Against Domestic Sexual Violence: is dedicated to the empowerment of all survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Member agencies provide comprehensive emergency and support services to victims of domestic and sexual violence.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: Help is available to callers 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Hotline advocates are available for victims and anyone calling on their behalf to provide crisis intervention, safety planning, information and referrals to agencies. Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 140 languages through interpreter services. If you or someone you know is frightened about something in your relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
The Domestic Violence Project, Inc./SAFE House: provides services for any person victimized in an intimate relationship who lives or works in Washtenaw County, Michigan. "Intimate relationship" means: married, formerly married, living together as partners, formerly living together as partners, domestic partner, former domestic partner, engaged or formerly engaged, dating or formerly dating, or having a child in common.
The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): is the nation's largest antisexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE and carries out programs to prevent sexual assault, help victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice. On this site, you'll find statistics, counseling resources, prevention tips, news and more.
Alcoholics Anonymous®: is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
Al Anon and Alateen : Al-Anon (which includes Alateen for younger members) offers hope and help to families and friends of alcoholics. It is estimated that each alcoholic affects the lives of at least four other people. Alcoholism is truly a family disease. No matter what relationship you have with an alcoholic, whether they are still drinking or not, all who have been affected by someone else's drinking can find solutions that lead to serenity in the Al-Anon/Alateen fellowship.
Michigan Organizations and Links: Women's Issues
The Michigan Chapter of the National Organization for Women: takes action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all privileges and responsibilities in truly equal partnership with men. NOW seeks to eliminate the roots of sexism in society by actions, including lobbying, educating and mobilizing the community on women's rights issues.
MARAL Pro-Choice Michigan: is the Michigan arm of NARAL Pro-Choice America, whose mission is to protect and preserve the right to choose while promoting policies and programs that improve women's reproductive health.
Michigan Women's Commission: works to improve the quality of life for Michigan women. Their website offers a variety of publications and information on the status of women's issues in Michigan.
Michigan Coalition Against Domestic Sexual Violence: is dedicated to the empowerment of all survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Member agencies provide comprehensive emergency and support services to victims of domestic and sexual violence.
The Domestic Violence Project, Inc./SAFE House: provides services for any person victimized in an intimate relationship who lives or works in Washtenaw County, Michigan. "Intimate relationship" means: married, formerly married, living together as partners, formerly living together as partners, domestic partner, former domestic partner, engaged or formerly engaged, dating or formerly dating, or having a child in common.
National Abortion Provider Organizations
National Coalition of Abortion Providers: Almost 90 percent of all abortions in this country are provided by independent clinics. NCAP is a Provider organization that brings Providers together and brings the voice of Providers and the reality of the abortion experience to the public.
National Abortion Federation: is also a professional association of abortion providers focused specifically on keeping abortion safe, legal and accessible.
Feminist Women's Health Centers: This site features a host of information on abortion topics, including abortion procedures, statistics, personal stories, and state-by-state laws.
National Abortion, Reproductive and
Women's Rights Organizations and Sites
Choice Link Up : This is THE Pro-Choice Support and Resource site. Great place to start. No worries about tricks from anti-choicers. This site is a directory listing for information about reproductive health and rights, including abortion. You will find links to accurate health information, services, pro-choice organizations, rights groups, resources and discussion sites. Choice Link Up believes it should be easy to find unbiased pro-choice information on the web.
Abortion Conversation Project: is committed to eliminating the stigma of abortion by creating new ways and opportunities to talk about abortion honestly and publicly. ACP pledges open conversations that do not demonize those with differing views, or convince anyone of what is "right". Decisions about pregnancy bring up issues of life, death, sex, parenthood, and so much more. The real life experiences of providers and women themselves will better enable people to understand and appreciate the complex moral decision-making surrounding a pregnancy decision.
Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI) : is a research institute committed to protecting the reproductive choices of all women and men - in the United States and throughout the world. AGI provides reliable, balanced, nonpartisan information on sexual activity, contraception, abortion and childbearing. This is a great site for accurate statistics, seen as credible by all sides of the issues.
NARAL Pro-Choice America: is a political arm of the pro-choice movement and a strong advocate of reproductive freedom and choice. NARAL Pro-Choice America's mission is to protect and preserve the right to choose while promoting policies and programs that improve women's reproductive health.
Center for Reproductive Rights: is an independent, non-profit legal organization dedicated to ensuring that all women have access to appropriate and freely chosen reproductive health services. CRR uses the law to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect and fulfill. “Reproductive freedom lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self-determination and equality embodied in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The power of law, in turn, ensures that this promise will not ring hollow”. Site offers fact sheets, reports, articles, and news on topics related to reproductive health.
The American Civil Liberties Union: is the nation's foremost advocate of individual rights: litigating, legislating, and educating the public on a broad array of issues affecting individual freedom in the United States.
Reproductive Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) : Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, the Project seeks to uphold the rights of individuals to decide freely, whether or not to bear a child. Site features information on reproductive rights in Congress and other related legal issues such as privacy and equality.
The Feminist Majority Foundation: engages in research and action programs focused on advancing the legal, social and political equality of women with men, countering the backlash to women's advancement, and recruiting and training young feminists to encourage future leadership for the feminist movement in the United States. Their sister organization, the Feminist Majority, engages in lobbying and other direct political action, pursuing equality between women and men through legislative avenues.
Medical Students for Choice (MSFC) : was founded in 1993 by students concerned about the shortage of doctors trained to provide abortion care, the lack of abortion education in medical schools, and escalating violence against abortion providers. The organization represents students at more than 100 medical schools across the United States and Canada.
The National Organization for Women: is the largest organization of feminist activists in the United States. NOW's goal is "to take action" to bring about equality for all women.
Legal Momentum: NOW Legal Defense and Education Fund has changed its name to Legal Momentum. This organization continues to be at the center of every major social and economic justice concern on the women's rights agenda. NOW LDEF pursues equality for women and girls in the workplace, the schools, the family and the courts, through litigation, education, and public information programs.
The UN Millennium Development Goals : This international United Nations site makes the connections between abortion and poverty, hunger, child mortality, poor maternal health, disease, lack of educational and employment opportunities, etc.
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Last page update: 9/07
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