Homeless pregnant women, sometimes forced to give birth without medical assistance, are more common than you might think.
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Quebec was rocked last week by the story of this homeless 18-year-old woman who was forced to give birth to her child in a forest in Gatineau.
TVA Nouvelles today collected statements from two other women in Montreal who became pregnant despite having no permanent address.
Nancy, a former drug addict who has not taken drugs since the beginning of the year, says: “Thanks to this child, [elle a] succeeded [s’]exit”.
For her, giving birth on the street was not an option.
TVA News
Nancy
“I also didn’t want to have an abortion because I told myself that if I had an abortion, I would stay on the streets and continue taking drugs,” she explains.
She decided to move back in with her parents and get therapy.
However, Nancy adds that she keeps in touch with her friends who still live on the streets, a kind of “family” in her opinion.
The situation of Jennifer, a woman currently homeless due to a recent breakup, is still precarious.
TVA News
Jennifer
She has been pregnant for about two months and wants to keep her baby.
“I live in a shelter and it’s hard right now, especially with my pregnancy,” she says immediately.
“I registered at a place for pregnant women […]“I’m on the waiting list and should come back by October,” she explains
The uncertainty of this lifestyle can also pose risks, especially for women.
In Quebec, 2,900 women live on the streets, a third of the homeless population.