– Release date: 20 June 2005
The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) has, this week, announced the launch of its pregnancy counselling services in the North West.
The services will operate from Sligo and Letterkenny, but will be open to women experiencing crisis pregnancy and their partners, from throughout the North West region.
The new services are non-directive, which means that the counsellor does not give an opinion or form a judgement. In a counselling session, the client will have an opportunity to discuss their situation in a confidential environment with a professionally qualified counsellor.
As part of a counselling session women will be able to avail of information on all of their options, including adoption, parenting and abortion. Abortion information includes contact details of service providers abroad.
According to the IFPA’s Director of Counselling Services, Rosie Toner, “The introduction of these services in the North West will give women an additional choice of service provider when accessing crisis pregnancy counselling.”
In addition to dealing with crisis pregnancy, the services will also provide post abortion counselling and support. “When women return home after a termination, we encourage them to have a post-abortion check-up. During this check-up, women can discuss their future contraception needs so that further crisis pregnancies can be avoided. The IFPA can advise women of doctors in their area who will carry out post-abortion checks,” added Ms Toner.
The services are funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, which is the statutory body responsible for reducing the number of crisis pregnancies as well as ensuring the provision of supports and services for women in a crisis pregnancy situation.
Appointments for the pregnancy counselling services in both Sligo and Letterkenny must be made through the IFPA’s national pregnancy helpline. This is a low call number and operates during office hours from Monday – Friday (Tel: 1850 49 50 51). The services are free of charge.