What do you do here?
Assistant Office manager, help with pre-op, accounts, collections, paperwork, dates. Take blood type, make sure it is not RH- which can affect ability for blood transfusion in next pregnancy.
Is this organization pro-life or pro-choice? Personal feelings on the topic and why?
Pro-choice, but has early terminations only. Believes in pro-choice because if law were to make abortions illegal then old methods would be used: no anesthesia, coat hangers, etc. Westwind only helps women receive abortions if it is in the first trimester, 12 weeks. Terri believes the women should go through pregnancy and put them up for adoption. Many pregnancies result of incest, rape, alcohol, drugs. STD's are at an epidemic scale, she believes some children are better off as terminated especially because state would take care of them which is tax payer's money.
What is standard procedure for abortions?
Take blood, assess blood type, medical history, conditions that could make it unsafe for abortions. They have the right to refuse abortion if safety is an issue. Two ways to terminate. 1: abortion pill, which can be used in under 7 weeks, cervix separates placenta from wall of uterus which delivers the baby early so that miscarriage takes place. The second is going in and suctioning out the contents of conception. Antibiotics are used to prevent infection, which can cause problems for later pregnancies. The pill does not always remove all of the contents.
Do patients often go through psychological stress before or after?
Yes, it is very common. They offer counseling for them. The women often speak of guilt that they are taking a life and are sometimes afraid of not being able to deliver later. It is standard procedure for the pre-op to include counseling for patients.
Personal thoughts on opposing views?
Terri used to be pro-life. The change occurred when she dealt with women's stories; rapes, incest, mental illness, not taking care of the body correctly, abused or neglected. Also, this would lead to improper abortions which may result in many deaths. Better to get one properly than bootleg.
In your opinion, do women receive abortions too often?
Yes, unwanted abortions should not occur period. But it does often even with education, birth control, STD testing, they try to slow them down. There is no reason to repeatedly get pregnant, there are many organizations such as planned parenthood, others for both men and women, where Plan B is free and so is birth control. Help is out there and people are not willing to even take precautions.
On average, how many women come in a day?
It varies, sometimes not even one comes in a day. On average, about 5-20 women come in per month. More during holidays; pregnancy and holidays have a direct correlation to one another. This office is personal when it deals with patients, visits are confidential and protests do not take place as they do in a public center such as planned parenthood.
Have you been personally affected by this topic? How?
Terri says it, "breaks her heart" to see young women get unwanted pregnancies and then abort. They don't need to go through this at all, it takes a strain on the body and puts future pregnancies at risk.
Do you support the legality of abortions? Do you think there should be certain restrictions?
If we stop abortions, the dirty coat hanger method will be used again. It is better to have a board certified doctor with the proper equipment perform the abortion than the bootleg method. Sterile environment is also needed, with anesthesia. In this state abortion is illegal if the fetus has been in development for 24 weeks.
