Pregnant? Here are your options

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Earlier this week, Mossel Bay Advertiser reported that some waste reclaimers had found the body of a dead newborn baby in a plastic bag at the Mossel Bay transfer station on Saturday 14 March, among some of the domestic waste disposed by the public.

The Advertiser's post on Facebook sharing the story on Monday sparked much debate within the community and garnered over 100 comments expressing shock at the situation.

The KwaNonqaba Police have opened an inquest into the matter, and the investigation is currently under way. At this stage, how the baby ended up at the transfer station is as yet unclear.

Amanda Beukes of ACVV Social Services in Mossel Bay told the Advertiser there are a combination of factors that may contribute to a mother's decision to abandon her baby, such as poverty, circumstances in the home, societal stigma, trauma, shame, fear and desperation.

However, there are safer alternatives in Mossel Bay for women and girls who may find themselves in a situation in which they are pregnant and do not want to or cannot raise their babies themselves.

Family planning

The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness offers free family planning services at local clinics, including intrauterine devices (IUDs), subdermal implants, contraceptive pills and injections, condoms, emer-gency contraception (commonly known as the 'morning-after pill') and referrals for sterilisation.

The department's spokesperson, Nadia Ferreira, said should a woman learn she is pregnant, but be unsure what the best option for her might be, speaking to a healthcare provider as a first step is advised.

Ferreira explained that the pregnancy will be confirmed and counselling for the woman will be provided.

If the woman decides to terminate a pregnancy, a referral will be made to a facility that provides safe abortions. "Deciding to terminate a pregnancy is not an easy decision, but there are safe methods available," said Ferreira.

She added that termination is available by choice for up to 12 weeks and, under specific eligibility criteria, up to 20 weeks; however, it is considered safest when done within the first 12 weeks.

Pregnancies under nine weeks are managed with medication only. This service is avail-able at the Great Brak River Clinic and by referral to the Mossel Bay Provincial Hospital.

Requests over nine weeks are referred to the hospital for consultation, and then to the George Hospital, where termination may involve a minor surgical procedure.

"If you feel desperate and need a safe alternative for your baby, reach out to someone you trust. Government healthcare services can connect you with social workers who will help you explore safe care options for your baby in a confidential manner," said Ferreira.

Adoption and the foster care system

Beukes told the Advertiser that as a child protection organisation, the ACVV works closely with the Department of Social Development (DSD), Mossel Bay Child Welfare and the Mossel Bay Hospital.

If a baby is born and, before being discharged, the mother decides not to keep it, the hospital will contact the ACVV to arrange a safe placement.

The ACVV is the only child protection organisation in Mossel Bay that handles adoption cases, while all child protection services handle the placing of children into the foster care system.

Beukes says the organisation does not often deal with instances of child abandonment similar to Saturday's case, but that some women who become pregnant and know they do not want to or cannot raise their babies make prior arrangements with the ACVV for adoption and/or foster care.

"Sometimes it might be a teenage girl or a woman living on the streets. But very often, those mums have already decided," she said.

Beukes says it is better for children to have a home with a family through adoption. For children in the foster care system, it can be an emotionally difficult experience thinking a parent did not want them, whereas an adoption is considered more permanent.

According to South Africa's Children's Act, a child may be eligible for adoption if the biological parent(s) does not make contact regarding the reclaiming of their child within a year. If no contact has been made within this time, the adoption processes can begin.

The adoptive family and the biological parent(s), if present, have an additional 60-day period to decide whether the adoption can be finalised or if they want to return the child.

Adoptive parents and biological parents involved in the adoption processes also undergo counselling and parenting skills with the ACVV.

Depending on the circumstances, social workers will make regular visits to the homes these children are placed in to ensure that all is going well with both the foster or adoptive parents and the child.

The ACVV is open to all women seeking assistance, no matter the circumstances.

For mothers who already have children, but need support

Creating Effective Families (CEF), a non-profit organisation in D'Almeida, specialises in repairing relationships within families with a specific focus on women and their children.

The CEF also works closely with social workers in Mossel Bay and receives referrals on a regular basis.

The organisation told the Advertiser the women they support are almost always escaping abuse, whether physical or otherwise, and are offered a safe haven for themselves and their children.

Some of the other services the CEF offers include divorce counselling, counselling for victims of gender-based violence and substance abuse, parenting services and supporting victims in court.

For more information on these alternative options, contact: