From the Guidelines
The most appropriate approach to providing pregnancy support counseling to Olivia is to provide her with factual, unbiased information and encourage her to reflect on and explore her options, before supporting her to make her own decision. This approach is grounded in the principles of shared decision-making, which has been shown to increase patient satisfaction, knowledge, and confidence in their decisions 1.
When providing counseling, it is essential to create a safe and non-judgmental environment where Olivia can openly discuss her concerns, feelings, and circumstances. The counselor should present all available options, including continuing the pregnancy and parenting, adoption, or termination, with accurate and balanced information about each path 1.
The counselor should avoid imposing personal values or steering Olivia toward any particular decision, instead helping her explore how each option aligns with her values, life circumstances, and future goals. Providing resources for all options, including prenatal care information, adoption services, and abortion care details if legally available, is also crucial. Ensuring confidentiality and privacy throughout the counseling process is vital, and follow-up support should be offered regardless of her decision, as patients may need ongoing emotional support or referrals to additional services based on their chosen path 1.
By prioritizing patient-centered care and respecting Olivia's autonomy, the counselor can empower her to make an informed decision that aligns with her values and priorities. This approach is supported by the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, which recommends that healthcare practitioners utilize shared decision-making and provide accurate, unbiased information to support patients in making informed decisions about their reproductive health 1.
Key aspects of this approach include:
- Creating a safe and non-judgmental environment
- Presenting all available options with accurate and balanced information
- Avoiding imposition of personal values or biases
- Helping the patient explore their values, life circumstances, and future goals
- Providing resources for all options
- Ensuring confidentiality and privacy
- Offering follow-up support regardless of the patient's decision.
From the Research
Approach to Pregnancy Support Counselling
The most appropriate approach to providing Olivia with pregnancy support counselling is to provide her with factual, unbiased information and encourage her to reflect on and explore her options, before supporting Olivia to make her own decision. This approach is supported by several studies, including 2, which highlights the importance of nondirective and patient-centered pregnancy options counselling.
Key Principles of Pregnancy Support Counselling
Some key principles of pregnancy support counselling include:
- Providing unbiased and comprehensive information about all available options
- Supporting the patient in the decision-making process
- Referring the patient to appropriate resources and services
- Avoiding judgmental or directive language
- Encouraging the patient to reflect on and explore their own thoughts and feelings
Benefits of Nondirective Counselling
Nondirective counselling has been shown to be an effective approach in supporting patients who are uncertain about their pregnancy options. This approach allows patients to make informed decisions that are right for them, without feeling pressured or influenced by others. As noted in 3 and 4, nondirective counselling is a key component of pregnancy options counselling, and is essential in supporting patients who are facing unintended pregnancies.
Potential Barriers to Effective Counselling
There are several potential barriers to effective counselling, including:
- Provider miseducation or opposition to pregnancy options counselling
- Crisis Pregnancy Centers that use misinformation to further barriers to care
- Patient biases or misconceptions about their options
- Lack of access to comprehensive and unbiased information As discussed in 2 and 5, these barriers can create challenges and delays for patients seeking abortion services, and highlight the need for increased education and training in nondirective pregnancy options counselling.