What:
Our Centre provides many supports:

Options Counselling- Including education on all three options, resources, referrals, and non-judgemental support. It is important to know that we are not a medical clinic and we do not refer for abortion. Our peer counsellors are volunteers who are trained by the Centre; they are not professionals and will refer if needed. If you would like this support please call the Centre @ (780) 424-2624.

Prenatal Classes- The program we run is called Earn While You Learn (EWYL), the reason for the title is that when all requirements are completed for the program our clients receive a gift card to spend on baby items. The classes are free and are held on week
days; the 6 or 12 week classes are once a week for an hour and a half. The EWYL
program goes through many subjects such as SIDS, breastfeeding, 1-3 Trimesters,
What is Safe & What Isn’t, and many more… To join you must first make an appointment with a Peer Counsellor to see if you are eligible.

Material Items- For our clients, our Centre provides maternity clothes, baby clothes and a layette full of baby items needed for a newborn. All of our material items are donated by generous churches, companies, individuals and volunteers who want to support what we do! If supporting us interests you, please call (780) 424-2624!

Sexual Education- The Pregnancy Care Centre is proud to offer WAIT! Let’s Talk Sex! Programs to all Edmonton area schools. WAIT! Let’s Talk Sex! is  series of educational workshops for grades 7, 8, 9, and CALM 20. Each presentation is grade specific, age appropriate, and character-based, with sexual abstinence being presented as a healthy choice for teens. Our presenters are well trained, well informed, and dynamic! Our content is consistent with the Alberta Learning Curriculum and information is presented in a fun and interactive way. To book a presentation for your schools, parent group or youth group, please call 780-424-2624 or email: jenn@pregnancycarecentre.ca

When:                                                                                                                                                 Our Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. At times we are open on Tuesday evenings from 6pm to 9pm, please call to see availability.

Where:                                                                                                                                            11223 100 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5K 0J1,                                                                     Email us :Info@pregnancycarecentre.ca or Call us: (780) 424-2624

WHY:                                                                                                                                              At The Pregnancy Care Centre we are here to support women and families with unexpected pregnancy. We do this because we recognize the need for support, a third party to talk about your situation, and education on all your options when in crisis. Why should you come to us? We really do care about you and the situation of your unplanned pregnancy. We do not want you to go through your pregnancy alone or without education on what’s best for you and your baby. If you find yourself in an unexpected pregnancy
please call out Centre and check out our website at www.pregnancycarecentre.ca.

To be the Preferred Choice for Pregnancy and Parenting Support, Post Abortive Care and Sexual Education.

You see, the truth of the matter is, no matter how great some people make it sound, the morning after pill isn’t so great after all. This pill is a high-dose hormone that women take within three days of having unprotected sex. These are some of the same hormones that manufacturers of the pill have cut back on because of their side effects. Because the morning after pill is available over the counter, women are able to take this pill repeatedly with no medical supervision. This means they are taking high doses of hormones on a regular basis, which we know have side effects. Here at the Centre, we have seen girls using it as birth control and some have taken it twelve times in one month.

It is also important to note that some side effects of this “safe” drug may include nausea/vomiting, menstrual irregularities, breast tenderness, headaches, abdominal pain, cramps and dizziness.

Some people say it isn’t an abortion pill. They say it will temporarily stop the release of an egg from the ovary, prevent fertilization or prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.

There are a couple things wrong with this:
1. The assumption that life begins once the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus. As the organization Canadian Physicians for Life states, “it is a basic fact of human embryology that life begins at conception.” Stating it is not an abortion pill ignores this fact.
2. It assumes it will stop a pregnancy from occurring or one from continuing. What happens when it fails? What are the affects on the babies who survive? What are the health ramifications for these children? We simply don’t know.

As you can see, there is much more to the morning after pill than many would have you believe.

Why find out? Why not just wait a few more
weeks, or even months and see what happens? Because getting good quality, early
pregnancy care is important. If it turns out you are pregnant, you will need to
see a doctor as soon as possible.

Getting good prenatal care is important for
you and your baby’s health. Your doctor can provide you with information on
supplements such as folic acid and iron. This is also a good time to discuss
drug or alcohol use with your doctor. There is no safe amount of alcohol or
drugs when you are pregnant and it is important you discuss with your doctor if
you have any addiction issues.

At your first visit, your doctor will need
to find out your family history, your health history, the date of your last
period, if you have ever been pregnant before, what your life is like and what
your plans are for your baby. Your doctor may also send you for a dating
ultrasound. This test is most accurate in determining your due date if it is
done between eight and 11 weeks.

After that first visit, you will probably
have to see your doctor about every six weeks in the beginning. As the months
go by, you will see the doctor more frequently – every two to three weeks and
eventually every week. Check out Your Prenatal Appointments for more detailed
information.

There is a ton of information online about
pregnancy care, but just be careful of who is providing it and remember that
the expert on medical advice and  pregnancy is your doctor. Some trustworthy general advice is available on the Public Health Agency of Canada website.

Another option for you is to call our
office at 780-424-2624 or email info@pregnancycarecentre.ca and
set up a counseling appointment.  The
Edmonton Pregnancy Care Centre is here to provide you with compassionate and
practical help. Please note we are not a medical clinic.

Every year, tens of millions of new infections are reported and every year, people continue to die from these preventable infections.

TYPES OF INFECTIONS
There are four main types of STI’s:

1. Bacterial: – these are infections that are caused by bacteria and include: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Syphilis. These infections can be treated with antibiotics but may go unnoticed for years. Symptoms may include: discharge from the vagina or penis, abdominal pain, and even more serious symptoms such as nervous disorders and dementia. Unnerving fact: Chlamydia can cause infertility in women if untreated.
2. Fungal: Most view these as minor infections that are irritating rather than deadly (yeast infections and “jock itch”). They can usually be treated with over the counter medicines.
3. Viral: Viral infections are incurable at this point in time and are easily spread even through kissing and touching. Some viral STIs include: Hepatitis B., Herpes, HIV (AIDS), and HPV. Viral cases are very hard to diagnose as they rarely cause overt symptoms until the infected person is extremely ill. Herpes will only show itself when it “flares up” with genital sores.
4. Parasitic: Crabs (pubic lice) and scabies are tiny parasites that are transmitted from partner to partner through either touching or sleeping in the same bed. They can cause itching and rashes and are treated by store bought products.

While most STI’s are not fatal, they can cause embarrassing and annoying symptoms. One must also be aware that if not treated, bacterial infections can lead to death. Many viral infections have no cure and may also lead to death as breakdown for the immune system occurs.

PREVENTION and TESTING
The best way to prevent these infections is through practicing abstinence. Abstinence is the most effective weapon we all have to ensure that we do not contract any STIs. Let’s be real, Sex is good! You can still have sex in a committed marriage relationship with one partner. If both of you are virgins when you marry you will have no issues with STI’s. People who are having sex of any form should be tested regularly for infection and also know the signs. Regular visits to your doctor are imperative and for women, regular pap smears could make the difference between life and death.  STI’s and unplanned pregnancy.

Contact us today for further info on this program.