UMass Boston

General Medicine
All departmental services are located in the Quinn Administration Building, 2nd floor.
Phone: 617-287-5660
Fax: 617-287-3977
Counseling Center

24/7 Crisis Phone Support
855.634.4135

Phone: 617.287.5690
Fax: 617.287.5507
Health & Wellness

Choices Regarding Pregnancy

Understanding Your Options

50% of pregnancies are unplanned. If you have a uterus and ovaries and are having sex with someone with a penis, you are at risk of getting pregnant. Pregnancy is a personal and private matter. If you prefer to keep it that way, here are some tips, especially if you are considering terminating a pregnancy.

Keeping Your Research Private

In a digital world, your searches and online activities can be tracked. To protect yourself, there are several ways you can safeguard your privacy:

Tips to Protecting Your Online Activity

  • Digital Browsers: Use browsers and search engines with strong privacy settings, such as DuckDuckGo, Firefox, and Brave.
  • Disable Tracking: Turn off browser features related to site data, cookies, caching, and browser history.
  • Secondary Contact Information: Use a separate phone number (Google Voice, Hushed, Burner) and secure email (Tutanota, ProtonMail).
  • Encrypted Messaging: Use apps like Signal for end-to-end encrypted communication.
  • Mobile Privacy: Review privacy settings on your phone and health apps. Choose apps with strong privacy policies or track manually. 

Planning Pregnancy

If you are trying to get pregnant, University Health Services can assist with:

  • Urine and blood pregnancy testing
  • Prenatal vitamins
  • Early pregnancy information
  • Referrals for prenatal care

Resources for Planning Pregnancy

Preventing Pregnancy

Contraceptive Options

University Health Services can guide you on the best options to prevent pregnancy.

  • For a description of the effectiveness of different methods of birth control, click here.
  • The best method for you is based on your age and health status - birth control is not a one-size-fits-all. For a description of which method is the safest type for each person, click here

Emergency Contraception

If you've had unprotected sex or a contraceptive failure and you want to prevent pregnancy, you may need emergency contraception (EC):

  • Plan B: Must be taken within 3 days of unprotected intercourse. Available over-the-counter or at UHS.
  • Ella: Prescription-only, effective up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Requires a pregnancy test.
  • IUD (ParaGard): Can be used as emergency contraception if placed immediately, though appointments can be hard to secure.

Note: Emergency contraception is NOT the same as the abortion pill (mifepristone or misoprostol). 

Suspected Pregnancy

If you think you might be pregnant, UHS offers:

  • Urine and blood pregnancy testing
  • Prenatal vitamins
  • Early pregnancy information
  • Referrals for prenatal care and abortions
    • Note: UHS does not offer medical abortions at this time.

Resources for Support & Decision-Making

If you are pregnant and conflicted, it may be best to proceed with steps for a healthy pregnancy in case you change your mind. Regardless, there are several resources for information and support in decision-making.

On-Campus Support

  • UHS General Medicine
  • UHS Counseling Center

Off-Campus Resources

Terminating a Pregnancy

Both medical and surgical abortions are legal in Massachusetts. Medical abortions via telehealth are also available. 

  • Medical Abortion: Involves taking mifepristone and misoprostol to end a pregnancy within the first trimester.
  • In-Clinic Abortion: Includes suction/aspiration abortion and dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion, depending on the pregnancy stage. 

Resources for Terminating a Pregnancy

Services
Talklines
Resources & Websites

Additional Resources

Useful Links

Pregnancy Resources

Pregnancy Prevention Resources

Abortion Resources

Legal Support

Cost Considerations

  • Raising a Child in MA: Around $22,677 annually.
  • Contraception: Costs vary, but many are covered by insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Average annual out-of-pocket cost is about $266 with insurance and $268 without.
  • Long-Lasting Methods: IUDs and implants have negligible yearly costs.
  • Abortion: Costs around $500-$1,000 in Massachusetts, with some insurance coverage.

General Medicine
All departmental services are located in the Quinn Administration Building, 2nd floor.
Phone: 617-287-5660
Fax: 617-287-3977
Counseling Center

24/7 Crisis Phone Support
855.634.4135

Phone: 617.287.5690
Fax: 617.287.5507
Health & Wellness