Help for pregnant Bay women

Janice Tetley-Jones is opening the Pregnancy Choice Centre in Tauranga to help women who unexpectedly find themselves pregnant. Photo / Joel Ford

A new clinic is opening in Tauranga for women who unexpectedly find themselves pregnant.

The Pregnancy Choice Centre opens on October 16 and will feature counselling, an opportunity shop, parenting classes and support for women unprepared for motherhood.

The free clinic will also provide information about the choices of keeping the baby, abortion and adoption, and help pregnant women make decisions without outside pressure.

Pregnancy Choice Centre director Janice Tetley-Jones told the Bay of Plenty Times being pregnant could be a scary time even for women who had support. "For those women who don't have the support it can be a really difficult time for them. We are here to offer support and help them through a tremendously difficult situation."

She believed there was insufficient information available about adoption and fostering, which she hoped to address.

"For a lot of women, the first reaction is panic, then 'what am I going to do about this?'. We say let's just sit down and talk about this," Mrs Tetley-Jones said.

Many women felt pressured to make a certain choice by families and partners, she said. "We aren't going to set ourselves up as being for or against certain options and want to keep out of the pro-life/pro-choice debate and avoid the labels. Our goal is just to help the women who need it."

Mrs Tetley-Jones established a helpline for unexpectedly pregnant women a year ago and the centre was the next step.

"Individuals heard about what we were doing and were prepared to invest in the support of women in Tauranga.

"I shared with one man how successful the phone calls have been and he provided the building for us and said go for it."

Their new building is on the corner of 11th Ave and Christopher St. It has been repainted and has space for the op shop, two counselling rooms, a conference centre and a play room.

The op shop will sell baby, children's and maternity clothes as well as baby gear.

Others came to Mrs Tetley-Jones with offers to provide services. "We will have classes for diet and exercise, mother craft, parenting skills; a professional counsellor will be offering relationship help, and we will also be looking at budgeting, baby care and ante-natal classes."