Alternatives for women struggling with pregnancy

Photo courtesy of A Safe Haven for Newborns. 

Nicholas Cavallo/Contributing Writer 

Across the state of Florida and the rest of the country, newborn babies are abandoned by their mothers. It is a crisis that not only affects underprivileged teenage mothers, but people of all ages, ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses.

Periodically, we hear about stories of newborn babies being found in dumpsters or empty parking lots.

On Feb. 21, 2013, a newborn – estimated to be between one to three days old – was found abandoned in the dirt on the edge of an empty parking lot in Pompano Beach, Fla.

The discarded baby was discovered wrapped in a blanket by a woman who was walking by and noticed something was moving; the newborn still had his umbilical cord attached, which lead investigators to believe the baby had not been born in a medical facility.

While it is not fully understood why a mother would endanger her child, psychologists have brought up two common denominators: isolation and denial.

Generally, mothers and fathers who abandon a child believe they have no other alternative. They often believe they are utterly and completely alone. Living in isolation, they are left to wrestle with problems that they may not be psychologically equipped to handle. As a result, these mothers keep their pregnancy a secret and then dispose of their child once it is born.

This phenomena is truly a tragedy since there are alternatives to assist people in such a crisis.

Fortunately, the Florida Safe Haven Law was passed in 2000 as a safety net which allows parents to surrender their unharmed newborn child to employees at any hospital, emergency medical service station or to any firefighter at any fire station within the first seven days of birth. The law protects the confidentiality of the parents, but most importantly provides a sanctuary for the newborns.

Beyond the law, there are other alternatives to assist these mothers prior to the birth of the baby.

The Wellness Center told Student Media that they are limited to “disease prevention and health promotion.”

Adrien Nicolas, a wellness assistant, said pregnant students would be able to find more assistance at the Women’s Clinic, Victim Advocacy or Counseling and Psychological Services since they deal more closely with gynecological health and women’s  issues.

These programs are capable of answering these desperate parents’ needs; if not directly, then they can forward them to an organization that can.

A Safe Haven for Newborns, for instance, established by The Gloria M. Silverio Foundation in 2001, is a non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating infant abandonment in Florida through education, prevention and community involvement. Partnering efforts with all of Florida’s counties, the program utilizes public awareness activities and a statewide multilingual 24/7 helpline to aid in their efforts to save lives.

Since 2001, approximately 200 children have been saved and over 5,000 women have been assisted in their time of need.

For more information, you can visit their website www.asafehavenfornewborns.com or call the helpline at 1-877-767-2229.

People need to know that they have options to assist them in their time of need.  University students have options they can take advantage of on-campus and off-campus, such as the Safe Haven for Newborns.  Most importantly, women who are struggling with their pregnancy need to know that they are not alone.

opinion@fiusm.com 

Sources:

1. “Abandoned Baby Found Outside in Blanket in Pompano Beach: Broward Sheriff’s Office,” via NBC Miami

2. www.asafehavenfornewborns.com