Ten Advantages to an Unplanned Pregnancy

 Really fun and clever article from Jezebel.com.

It was excerpted from Oops! How to Rock the Mother of All Surprises: A Positive Guide to Your Unexpected Pregnancy, available at Amazon and B&N. Copyright © 2013 by Tracy Moore and published by F+W Media, Inc.

Take a look here!

 http://jezebel.com/ten-advantages-to-an-unplanned-pregnancy-1447919118-


If you're struggling with being in the same situation and would like help, come visit us!

To schedule your free pregnancy test and ultrasound:

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

A Mother's Story

This testimonial is from one of 1st Way's clients who has been with us for a long time and we have helped her through the stages of her pregnancies and beyond. 

She now has two children, ages one and two, and she still regularly visits our office for help with diapers, baby clothes and other needs and concerns she is having. We were honored that she also shared her story at a recent 1st Way fundraiser, and she has given permission for us to publish parts of her handwritten story here:

"Life can be hard, but you helped me to keep my sanity! I want everyone to know that sometimes you could do everything in your power to provide, you might seek any and every good answer. Yet, sometimes, the answer is to seek help. And then you find understanding and gracious people there to offer you the help you need ever so much. I will have no better word to call such actions and people than, "Heavenly Miracles."

(from page 2)

"Thank you for keeping the babies warm and dry, thank you for keeping the smiles on their faces as well as mine. Thank you for making caring for babies more possible. Thank you for saving our lives. We love you."

To schedule your free pregnancy test and ultrasound:

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Meet Shelley, one of our ultrasound technicians!

1st Way in Eugene offers free ultrasound, provided by four registered nurses trained in ultrasound. 

To find out more about what it's like to do ultrasound, we interviewed one of our nurse techs, Shelley Nelson, R.N.

-How early is it possible to do an ultrasound?

It is possible to do an ultrasound as early as five weeks. 

-What information can a woman find out from an ultrasound?

A woman can find out how many weeks she is in her pregnancy and how fast the baby's heart is beating.

-How reliable is ultrasound?

Ultrasound technology gives very reliable information in determining how many weeks pregnant a woman is.

-What does an unborn baby look like at 10-12 weeks?

An unborn baby at 10 weeks is completely formed and just needs time to grow.  On ultrasound you will see the heart beating, the head, body, arms and legs are clearly defined.  The baby will often move around a lot as well.

-What do you like most about your job?

The thing I like most about my job is meeting new women and talking with them about their pregnancies.  I also like taking lots of ultrasound pictures!

To schedule your free ultrasound:

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call  541.687.8651 
or  1-800-848-LOVE 

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

How Well Do You Understand Pregnancy Symptoms?

Question #1: About half of all pregnant women have morning sickness.
True False

Question #2: If you have a negative pregnancy test, you are definitely not pregnant.
True False

Question #3: Fatigue and mood swings are common pregnancy symptoms.
True False

Question #4: If you're on the pill or wearing an IUD, you can't get pregnant.
True False

Question #5: It is possible to miss several periods and still not be pregnant.
True False

Question #6: Unusual breast tenderness or sensitivity is a pregnancy symptom.
True False

Question #7: If you had a positive pregnancy test and then bleed, it must be a miscarriage.
True False

Question #8: Bloating and headaches can sometimes be pregnancy symptoms.
True False

Question #9: Dizziness is a common pregnancy symptom.
True False

Question #10: Stress and medication changes can sometimes cause missed periods.
True False

If you are concerned about health symptoms, see your health provider. You can also come by 1st Way and get a free pregnancy test and free ultrasound. We'll be happy to talk to you about pregnancy myths and facts, to set your worried mind at rest.

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401

Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Why get ultrasound in early pregnancy?

What can you actually see in early pregnancy? Cells and tissue? Why look at that?

Well, as early as six weeks, you can see a tiny beating heart. You can see whether or not the developing baby is attached well in the uterus. You can see if the placenta is normal and whether implantation is even in the uterus. You can also tell (within a range of about four days) exactly how far along in your pregnancy you are. Keep in mind that when you first miss your period, your baby has already developed a few weeks and sometimes it's tough to know how much.

Still, is there any other point to having it done?

Yes, it's important to know if your developing baby is viable or not- meaning that it cannot be successfully carried through pregnancy. For example, if the tiny baby is not actually in your uterus, he will not survive. Some conditions are dangerous when the embryo has implanted in the wrong place, such as in a fallopian tube. That's called ectopic pregnancy and that requires emergency medical treatment. Other times, you can see that there is an abnormal placenta and know that you will naturally miscarry. The nurse can also tell how far along you are in pregnancy and whether the developing baby is normal. Sometimes, it's not and the nurse can tell that it will not survive.

Many women schedule abortions without seeing an ultrasound, so they pay for a procedure that didn't need to be done to begin with, since they would have miscarried anyway. Ultrasound can save you a lot of expense, trouble and possible trauma.

If you are pregnant and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, the nurse will write a referral for you to get on the Oregon Health Plan, which you will be eligible for, due to pregnancy.

Look at ultrasounds from 4 weeks onward

Our reference source for this article

(Note: The picture above is of a twelve week old developing baby.)

If you're interested in a free ultrasound, call or come by 1st Way. We have four registered nurses certified in ultrasound who work various shifts, and if you pass a pregnancy test at our clinic, you can be scheduled for your sonogram.

Call, email or visit

1st Way is a nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious voluntary service organization. We offer help to any woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy regardless of circumstances. All services are free and confidential.

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

What if I get pregnant while taking Dong Quai?

Dong Quai is a plant and people make herbal supplements and medicines from the roots. When googling "dong quai" many sites come up that talk about the beneficial effects dong quai has on "uterine health," "premenstrual syndrome." Some articles also talk about how dong quai is an aphrodisiac and can help increase chances of getting pregnant. How much of this is true?

Many people take dong quai because they believe it will help them get pregnant, but dong quai is not proven to help fertility and dong quai is not safe for use during pregnancy. Since most people do not suspect they are pregnant until they are at least 5 weeks along, damage to the unborn child could occur during this time.

Following is a summary of the information available from research with the drug:

Dong quai has not been proven to have any effectiveness at all for menopausal symptoms. There is not enough information yet to rate the effectiveness of dong quai on painful menstrual periods and pms. However, dong quai also has no effect on sexual desire or fertility. The only purpose that dong quai is possibly effective for is premature ejaculation in men, when applied topically- and that is only possibly!

Is drinking an occasional cup of tea made with dong quai necessarily harmful? Probably not. But, it is important to know the facts about the research and risk.

There is a report that dong quai has caused birth defects in the unborn and it has been shown that dong quai affects the muscles of the uterus in pregnancy, which can be destabilizing.

If you have been taking dong quai for any reason, there are risks. Although you might need to take it in large doses for it to have great risk, the product contains chemicals that are carcinogens and it can make you more sensitive to UV rays from the sun, which could raise risk of skin cancer. It won't do what most people think it will do, either.

However, if you have been taking dong quai and find out you're pregnant, that does not immediately mean your baby will have birth defects. Simply stop taking dong quai and consult your healthcare provider.

Also, come by 1st Way and schedule a free ultrasound. There, you can talk to a registered nurse about your concerns. We'll be happy to help!

1st Way is a nonprofit, nonpolitical and nonreligious voluntary service organization. We offer help to any woman distressed by an unplanned pregnancy regardless of circumstances. All services are free and confidential. 

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Coming Soon- Herbal Supplements and Unplanned Pregnancy

What do you do if you think you might be pregnant and you regularly take herbal supplements? Have you already harmed your developing baby?

There is not much reliable research about herbal use in pregnancy. Most medical information available refers to studies with pregnant animals, because it would not be ethical to use human subjects. Also, some non-medical information has been passed down to women by women through the years and this "folk wisdom" is also sometimes hard to evaluate.

However, coming soon- a series of articles about what reliable information we DO have, so you can evaluate if what you're already taking can or already has perhaps hurt your developing baby.

In the mean time, if you have any questions about your pregnancy or whether or not you might be pregnant, come and visit us-

1st Way
1667 High Street
Eugene, Oregon 97401
Call 541.687.8651
or 1-800-848-LOVE

E-mail: firstwayeugene@gmail.com