Jessica’s Story

February 12, 2013
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This is a true story from one of our clients. We’ll call her Jessica for confidentiality reasons. She shares from her heart about her experience of getting pregnant in high school and the events that followed. We hope it encourages you.


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I was from a really small town where everyone knows everyone. I was very active in my youth group, in extracurricular activities and I was a three-sport athlete in high school. I prided myself on being a good kid and having a good relationship with my parents and friends. I had always planned on saving sex until after I was married, but I found myself falling into compromising situations with my high school boyfriend. In my senior year, I found out that I was pregnant.


After seeing the positive result of the test, I was shocked and felt like I had no place to go. After confiding in a friend and to my boyfriend, I honestly felt like abortion was my only option. I read about the procedure and started to get scared about what could happen if I went through it. So, I decided to tell my mom.


She was in disbelief and didn’t know how to respond. She told me that she’d go along with whatever I decided. I told her that my boyfriend and I had decided that we were going to get an abortion.


A few weeks later, my mom and I traveled to the clinic. I felt so alone sitting in the waiting room even though there were others there. I never dreamt I would be in this situation. It wasn’t until after the procedure was over and I was being escorted back to the waiting room that someone finally asked me if I was doing okay. Why didn’t someone ask me before when I really needed it? Why didn’t someone ask me before and tell me I had other options? It was then that everything became real to me and I fell apart. I had never felt more ashamed or broken in my life.


All summer I felt that if I ignored my feelings about my experience, then I wouldn’t have to deal with them. I began to grow distant from God, family, and friends. This continued until I met a friend during my freshman year of college who saw how broken I felt. He encouraged me to seek help.


That’s when I found myself contacting Collage. The staff was so welcoming and non-judgmental. They cared about who I was, not the decision I had made. It was there that I learned that I was not alone. I realized that other women were dealing with the same struggles. Deciding to go through the after-abortion support group that Collage offers was one of the best choices I have ever made. Today, I feel freed from the anger, guilt, and sadness that once weighed me down. Thanks to the support group, I was able to reconcile all of the relationships in my life and truly start over again.


If you find yourself relating to any part of my story, remember that you don’t have to through this alone. Whether you just took a positive test or have already experienced abortion, Collage can help. 

Understanding Abortion Pills: What to Know

July 21, 2026
If you're considering the abortion pill, knowing what it actually involves is an important first step as you weigh your decision. Schedule a free, confidential appointment at Collage to talk through your questions and get accurate information at no cost. How the Abortion Pill Works The abortion pill uses two drugs taken at different times. Mifepristone , the first, blocks progesterone, a hormone the body needs to maintain a pregnancy. Without it, the pregnancy stops developing. The second drug, misoprostol , causes the uterus to contract and expel the pregnancy. Risks and Side Effects Cramping and bleeding are expected parts of the process. Additional side effects can include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headaches. Complications include: Incomplete abortion (pregnancy tissue remaining in the uterus) Heavy bleeding that does not stop Infection Without in-person medical care, distinguishing normal symptoms from those requiring urgent attention is difficult. Why Gestational Age and Pregnancy Location Matter The FDA approved the abortion pill through 10 weeks of gestation. It is important to know how far along you are for your health and safety as you move through making your next decisions. A limited OB ultrasound also screens for ectopic pregnancy , a pregnancy outside the uterus that the abortion pill cannot treat and requires urgent care. A positive test alone does not rule out an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage , since hCG can remain elevated after pregnancy loss. Getting the Full Picture Collage offers free pregnancy testing and limited OB ultrasounds to give you the medical details you need before deciding anything, whether you're considering parenting, adoption, or abortion. Schedule your free, confidential appointment at Collage today. Kindly call the numbers for the branch nearest to you:  Kearney: (308) 234-9880 Grand Island: (308) 675-2217 All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing. Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services.

Why Does an Ultrasound Matter Before an Abortion?

June 28, 2026
If you're considering abortion, there's one medical step that protects your health before anything else. An ultrasound confirms your pregnancy and provides information that a positive test alone cannot.

How Does Abortion End My Pregnancy?

May 29, 2026
If you’ve recently learned you are pregnant unexpectedly, we understand how overwhelming this might feel right now. If you're considering abortion as an option, taking time to understand how the process works is important so you can make an informed decision. Collage is here to help provide you with confidential support and abortion information at no cost. We offer a safe space, free of judgment, where you can think calmly about your options, receive lab-quality pregnancy testing, and get a complimentary ultrasound so you can get the facts around your pregnancy and learn what options are available to you. Schedule your free appointment today. Medical Abortion Medical abortion, also known as the abortion pill, ends a pregnancy by using two drugs taken at different times. The first pill, mifepristone, works by blocking progesterone and causes the embryo’s death. The second drug, called misoprostol, is usually taken a day or two after and causes the uterus to contract, expelling the pregnancy tissue through cramping and bleeding. Common side effects can include bleeding and cramping, bleeding with blood clots, and a low-grade fever. Medical abortion is only approved through ten weeks of gestation by the FDA . Follow-up care is typically recommended after a medical abortion to make sure the process is complete. Surgical Abortion Surgical abortion terminates a pregnancy in a clinic or medical setting and involves removing pregnancy tissue from the uterus through a suction device or a tool called a curette. This can also be called dilation and evacuation or dilation and curettage . Common side effects of surgical abortions are bleeding and cramps. You may also have a late or early period as your uterus has to build a new lining after the procedure. What Are The Risks Of Abortion? Medical and surgical abortion both have possible risks that you should be aware of. Some women may also experience emotional responses afterward. Complications that can arise from abortion are: Infection. Scar tissue on the uterine wall, known as Asherman's syndrome . Heavy bleeding that may not stop. Diarrhea and digestive pain. An incomplete abortion. Confirm Your Pregnancy With An Ultrasound Before making a pregnancy decision, it is important to verify your pregnancy with an ultrasound. An ultrasound provides important medical details such as how far along you are, the location of the pregnancy, and whether a heartbeat is detected. These details are important since the abortion pill is not FDA-approved for over ten weeks, and it also rules out ectopic pregnancy, which requires urgent medical attention. As many as 26% of all pregnancies end in a miscarriage, and you can still get a positive pregnancy test result for days or weeks after a miscarriage because it takes time for hCG to leave the body. An ultrasound will confirm whether or not you have miscarried. We provide no-cost pregnancy services at our center, including limited OB ultrasounds, so you can get informed about your pregnancy and options. Get Pregnancy Support at College If you're considering your next step after learning you are unexpectedly pregnant, we are here to give you a safe place to ask questions and learn more about your options. Collage provides confidential appointments and no-cost pregnancy services, including medical-grade pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and STD testing . You don’t have to figure this out alone. We are here to listen. Schedule your free confidential appointment to learn more about your options. Collage does not provide or refer for abortions; however, we do offer pre-abortion screening through our no-cost services.
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