Ultrasounds available for young moms

By Staff | Sep 3, 2014

Sarah Rodriguez

“We’re trying to put ourselves out of business,” said Sarah Rodriguez, an outreach ministry director at the Lifeline Family Center of Lee County. She visits Lehigh Community Services on the third Wednesday of the month to talk to young pregnant women who need someone to talk to.

Often, the girls have not yet told their parents and Rodriguez often offers to talk to the girl’s parents along with the woman, “to be there to help support her,” she said.

The services she offers to women who want to receive counseling is free. There is an early pregnancy test offered at no cost, if a girl thinks she may be pregnant.

But now, a new service is offered by Lifeline Family Center.

After a girl is sure of her pregnancy and is far enough along, Rodriguez says they can offer a limited ultra sound tests to show the baby to the mother.

MEL TOADVINE Sarah Rodriguez spends every third Wednesday in Lehigh Acres at the Lehigh Community Center counseling young women who may think they are pregnant. Pregnancy testing is offered free.

“It’s pretty new. We are not doctors and we offer no medical advice, except to always advise them to see a doctor,” she said. “The purpose of the limited ultra sound test is available free and is just to show a young mother the growing fetus,” Rodriguez said.

Most of the women who come to the Lehigh Community Center to talk to Rodriguez is confidential.

Her clients are usually between the ages of 16 and 22 – middle school, high school and beyond.

“We also provide pre and post abortion counseling, but we do not tell a young woman what she should do, except to be under the care of a doctor,” she said.

She sets up an area in the rear of Lehigh Community Services which also is a United Way House.

“We offer fliers and counseling, listening to what they have to say and to make sure they have sufficient information,” she said. “We are here to reach people who are in a crisis.”

Rodriguez also visits other United Way Houses in Lee County with the same type of information and offer of a limited ultrasound photo to those who are pregnant.

“We have a good turnout in Lehigh and we encourage all young women to come here for free counseling. We can do the pregnancy testing here in the building on Plaza Drive and have results in minutes,” she said. “We offer all types of fliers and discuss any subject they want to talk about.”

The ultrasound is done at another site.

The agency is supported by financial gifts and grants. In December there will be a Life Walk in Jaycee Park in Cape Coral. Registration is at 8 and the walk begins at 8:45 a.m.

“They’ll have sponsors and will walk three laps to raise money. They can register at lifelinefamilycenter.org.

“Like I said, the limited ultra sound at the center is there to connect the mother and the baby. It is not for any type of diagnostic work. We stress abstinence when we counsel our clients. Abstinence works,” she said. “We have a motto: “Think it over (about having sex) and miss the mess.”

Fliers are in area middle and high schools offering the services and Rodriguez promises confidentiality.

“We don’t judge. We will tell them all of their options if they are pregnant and let it be their decisions, not our as what to do.

“If they want to have their baby, we can provided services for them to stay with us,” she said.

“Some younger girls come into our centers crying and are very emotional and they are alone. Many times, they have been kicked out of their homes because some parents are mad and embarrassed about the situation.

She said that condition is true in this generation as it was in years past, even more so now, she said.

Rodriguez would like to be able to go into the schools and churches, but that has not been something that they have been able to do so far.

“We went to talk to church officials in a church in Dunbar and they told us they didn’t talk about those things,” she said. “We need to address these issues with our young people. Abstinence is what we want to get over and in the schools and churches, we can see more young people.”

To set up an appointment with Rodriguez, call 239-242-7238, Ext. 102. Callers can leave a message and she will call back.

“And appointments can be made for Lehigh on the third Wednesday. Walk-ins are welcome, too,” she added.

: MEL TOADVINE Sarah Rodriguez spends every third Wednesday in Lehigh Acres at the Lehigh Community Center counseling young women who may think they are pregnant. Pregnancy testing is offered free.