What To Do If You Have An Unplanned Pregnancy

What Cdc Is Doing

• Examine the need for contraceptive services among women of reproductive age.
• Increase access, use, and dissemination of data to identify groups most at risk for unintended pregnancy show the health impacts of teen and unintended pregnancy and close gaps in access to quality, patient-centered family planning services.
• Develop and identify evidence-based strategies to reduce unmet needs for quality family planning services among the most affected groups.
• Provide guidance for health care providers who counsel men, women, and couples about contraception.
• Build capacity for health care providers, states, communities, and partners to improve quality patient-centered family planning services and support states and communities to increase access to contraception services.

Friends In Adoption Can Help

If youre pregnant and unsure of what to do, contact Friends in Adoption. You can call our 24-hour line at or text us at 1-518-350-4581.

We have been empowering women and couples within the United States for more than 40 years to make informed decisions about their unplanned pregnancies. Friends in Adoption is a nonprofit, pro-choice, licensed adoption agency that is committed to inclusiveness and providing lifelong support. We have an extensive network of kind, compassionate, and skilled adoption professionals. While our offices are located in New York and Vermont, we work with pregnant individuals and biological parents across the country.

Unplanned Pregnancy From Sexual Assault And Family Violence

In Australia, as many as 1 in 4 women are affected by violence that includes sexual assault, family violence and reproduction coercion and abuse. An unplanned pregnancy can occur as a result from sex they did not agree or consent to.

You may have been pressured into it. Reproductive coercion and abuse is where you do not have control over your sexual and reproductive health.

Examples of reproductive coercion and abuse from perpetrators that may lead to unintended pregnancy includes:

• threats and physical violence
• controlling, tampering or taking away contraception
• forced sex or any forced sexual contact
• blackmailing as a sign of love or commitment to a relationship.

Sexual assault and family violence are illegal and may occur with a stranger or someone you know .

If your pregnancy results from sexual assault or family violence, specialist services are available to support you every step of the way.

Services and support available in Victoria include:

• 1800 Respect Tel. national domestic family and sexual violence counselling service
• Sexual Assault Crisis Line Tel.
• Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre Tel. .

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Where Can I Go If I Want An Abortion

Abortion care is free through the NHS. Its also available through private clinics and hospitals for a fee .

• You can go to your GP, local contraception or sexual health clinic or young peoples service. They can refer you for an abortion through the NHS
• As the law in Northern Ireland is different from the rest of the UK, you can only have an abortion if theres a real and serious risk to your mental or physical health and the risk is permanent or long-term.
• You can contact your GP to be referred to your local hospital if you feel your circumstances fit this description. Most women from Northern Ireland travel to England for an abortion where you can get free care. You can contact Informing Choices NI for confidential counselling, information, and support.
• You can contact fee-paying abortion providers directly. You dont have to be referred by a doctor

How To Tell If You Are Pregnant

It is important to confirm your pregnancy as soon as you can, so you can start considering your options.

Signs and symptoms of early pregnancy can vary and may include:

• nausea and vomiting
• changes in appetite such as cravings or distaste for some foods.

If you know the date of your last period, you can use a gestation calendar to calculate how many weeks you are. If not, a doctor or nurse can help you work this out.

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If Your Husband Wants Another Baby

Maybe you and your husband discussed having more kids and settled on the timing, but you had some nagging doubts. You might feel that your family size is perfect as is. Or your career may be taking off, and you’re worried that adding to your family will be too much responsibility. “For some women, there’s a sense of not having enough time to do it all and do it well,” says Yvonne Thomas, PhD, a Los Angeles-based psychologist.

Men may feel more prepared for another child because they usually aren’t as involved in the daily grind of parenting. Research shows that even when both parents work, the woman handles the majority of childcare and household tasks, says Paulette Melina, PsyD, a consulting psychologist in Los Angeles. “Men tend to think in terms of how can they provide financially rather than what the responsibilities of caretaking entail.”

Talking openly about your feelings with your husband is key. “You don’t want to harbor resentment toward him or, on the other hand, come down too hard on yourself for ‘allowing’ the pregnancy to happen,” says Dr. Ashton. Accept your part in the situation so you remain a team.

Pregnancy Decisions As A Pregnant Teen

It is quite possible that you are questioning what to do with this pregnancy. Will you carry the baby to term, consider adoption, or look at termination through an abortion procedure? The first thing to remember is that it is your pregnancy no one should pressure you into anything. Whether it is a parent, friends, your boyfriend, or some other person/group, no one should make you feel that you have to make the decision they want you to make. The options are there whether anyone tells you about them or not. You may find someone who tells you that you are a horrible person if you abort, and that is not true. You may get someone else who tells you that it is only a blob of tissue, which isnt true either, with the heart starting to beat by day 21. There have been studies showing that a majority of women who get abortions feel that they didnt have enough information to make an informed choice for their pregnancy. It is important to know all the resources available to you without being aware of these, you may falsely think that there is no help for someone in your position.

Embrace Grace is a judgement-free support group organization developed to help young people with unplanned pregnancies. Theres probably one near you.

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What Are My Options When Pregnant

If you are pregnant, you have a few options:

• Keep the baby: You can have the baby either with a partner or as a single parent. See your doctor as soon as you can for information about what to do next. Read more about pregnancy check-ups, screening and scans and how to tell people you are pregnant.
• Have the baby and have them adopted: Adoption permanently transfers all legal rights and responsibilities for the baby to their adoptive parents. Read more about adoption.
• Have the baby and put them in foster care: If you are not sure about adoption, but you are also not sure whether you can look after a baby, foster care could be a temporary solution. Foster parents can care for the baby while you work towards looking after them permanently. You can still see the baby while they are in foster care . Read more about foster care.
• Have an abortion: An abortion ends the pregnancy so the baby is not born. Depending on how many weeks pregnant you are, you could have an abortion by taking medication or by having a surgical procedure. Abortion, sometimes called termination, is safe and it is very unlikely to affect your ability to have children in future. The states and territories have different laws about abortion. The first step is to see your doctor or family planning clinic as soon as possible. Read more about abortion.

What Can I Think About To Help Me Decide

Family, relationships, school, work, money, life goals, health, safety, and personal beliefs most people think carefully about many of these things before making a decision about an unplanned pregnancy.

Consider how you feel when you think about abortion, adoption, and parenting. What do you want for your future, and for your family or future family?

It may be helpful to ask yourself questions like:

• How would my decision affect my future?

• How would my decision affect my family or other children?

• Am I ready to go through pregnancy and childbirth?

• Am I ready to raise a child right now?

• Do I have strong personal or religious beliefs about abortion, parenting, or adoption?

• Is anyone pressuring me to make a certain choice?

• Would my decision change my life in a way I dont want?

• Will my family, my friends, and my partner support my decision?

There are lots of factors to consider, and its totally normal to have many different feelings when youre thinking about your choices. Lots of people lean on others for support and advice as theyre making their decision. Its good to choose people who you know are understanding and wont judge you.

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What Role Will My Partner Have

It is up to you how you will involve your partner when making this decision. The circumstances of your relationship may affect how you feel about involving your partner.

You are the only person who can refuse or consent to an abortion. No one else can force you to have an abortion or continue with your pregnancy.

If you are considering adoption, its important to remember that both birth parents must consent to a childs adoption. How partners make this decision will differ depending on the circumstances of the relationship.

You may want to attend counselling together, or you or your partner may want to discuss your feelings alone. The counsellors at Pregnancy, Birth and Baby are available for all members of your family to talk to.

Alternative Care Or Adoption

If you feel you need more time to prepare for the responsibilities and challenges of becoming a full-time parent, there are alternatives to placing the child for permanent adoption.

For example:

• Your extended family may be able to be involved in caring for the child.
• Temporary foster care can be arranged where a child lives with and is cared for by another family until the birth parent or parents are able to care for and have their child live with them.

You may decide to continue with the pregnancy then place the child for adoption. The adoptive parents will then become the childs permanent, legal parents.

oversees permanent and temporary care of children. If you are considering this option, contact your regional agency.

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Reactions To An Unplanned Pregnancy

An unplanned pregnancy can raise different and sometimes confusing feelings and thoughts this is very normal. Even if a pregnancy is unplanned, it may still be wanted.

A number of things might affect how you feel about an unplanned pregnancy. If you are unsure of what to do, you are not alone. While you might know what you want from the outset, you might also find the decision-making process difficult.

Your feelings can seem confusing as they often conflict with each other. For example, you may feel:

• anxious, as you consider having a baby
• scared, because you dont know how to be a parent
• concerned, if your current relationship is not stable
• joy, because this is something you have always dreamed about
• excited, as this may be a new opportunity for you

Even if your feelings seem to be in conflict with each other, its important to take the time to process them.

Talking To Your Parents

Most pregnant teens are scared to share the news with their family. We have a few suggestions on breaking the news to your parent:

As a first time pregnant teen, this will be the first time you have this talk with your parents. More than likely, this is their first time to talk about teen pregnancy as well.

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How Can I Make Up My Mind

Talking to people you trust, and getting information about your options, can help you decide. You may want to talk to a partner, family or friends, or you may prefer to speak to someone less close to you.

The following services can talk confidentially with you, free of charge, about how you feel about the pregnancy and what options you have:

• your general practice
• a contraception or sexual health clinic, including a young persons service .

For a fee, you can discuss your options with organisations such as bpas , Marie Stopes , and NUPAS . Theres useful information on their websites which can help you explore your feelings, including how you feel about becoming a parent, having an abortion, or choosing adoption.

If youre under 25, youll find information and advice about all options, including abortion, from the Brook website at www.brook.org.uk

Its essential to get information and take time to explore how you feel so that you can make the decision thats right for you. Be aware that some organisations may not offer unbiased pregnancy counselling or advice and may lead you into making the wrong choice for you.

Why Negative Thinking Is Normal

It’s not just a surprise pregnancy that makes women feel conflicted. “Almost every mom-to-be has mixed feelings about having a baby,” says Lucy Puryear, MD, author of Understanding Your Moods When You’re Expecting. She told us the negative emotions women normally experience when they’re pregnant but are afraid to talk about.

“I hate being pregnant!”Morning sickness, fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms can make some women resent those nine months. But you shouldn’t feel guilty. “Just because you don’t like everything that goes along with your pregnancy, that doesn’t mean you aren’t really excited to be a mother,” says Dr. Puryear.

“Will I be a good mom?” It’s not just first-time moms who worry whether they’re up to the job of raising a child. Even if you planned to have more kids, it’s still normal to wonder whether you can handle a bigger family once you do get pregnant again.

“I don’t look like myself.” Freaking out about your expanding stomach doesn’t mean you’re vain, says Dr. Puryear: “We’re used to having control over our body, and it can be hard for some women to give up a little of that control during pregnancy.”

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What To Do When You Have An Unplanned Pregnancy

May 1, 2021

Are you faced with an unplanned pregnancy? Youre not alone. Others have walked this path before you. Were here to support you physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Where Do I Start?First, confirm your pregnancy at a womens health clinic. A urine test will confirm the pregnancy hormone in your urine, but ultrasound will confirm that the pregnancy is viable, and that the baby is in the uterus . Second, you will need to know how far along you are. Accurate dating is crucial, as different procedures depend upon gestational age.

Since ultrasound is the only way to confirm and date a pregnancy, Open Arms Real Choices in Coeur dAlene is here to offer your ultrasound and other health services at no cost.

Open Arms is non-profit, non-denominational, and non-political. We make no profit from your decision. The staff is here to provide compassion, information, and support to anyone facing the challenge of an unplanned pregnancy.

After your pregnancy is confirmed, youll be able talk with someone you trust. Open Arms Clinic has a staff of caring professionals that will listen to your concerns and explain all of your options so that you can make a well informed decision. It is your right to know the risks and benefits of every option. Your advocate will never judge or coerce.

Get In TouchWere here to help you. Call 667-5433, make an appointment here, or stop by during the hours below.

After hours, call 1-800-712-HELP or text

Office Hours

What Are My Unexpected Pregnancy Options

Before you can decide what to do when you have an unplanned pregnancy, its a good idea to start researching your options. Below is a little bit of information on each one:

• Abortion: Abortion is known as your early unplanned pregnancy option. If youre considering this path, its important to brush up on abortion laws in your state, as they vary widely. Youll also want to talk to your doctor as soon as possible to make sure this is still an option for you.
• Adoption: Adoption can be chosen at any point in your unintended pregnancy, and even after birth. Many women consider it to be the best option out of their three choices for an unplanned pregnancy. If you do choose to make an adoption plan, a trained professional will walk you through every step of the process. And because youre in the drivers seat, youll be able to decide how much contact youre open to, what you want the adoptive family to look like, and so much more.
• Parenting: Lastly, you can always decide to parent your child. But, as youve probably been told hundreds of times before, parenting while rewarding is not an easy job. If youre considering this option for your unplanned pregnancy, youll want to make sure that youre financially and emotionally ready for the journey ahead.

If youre not sure about which option is right for you, dont worry. Any unplanned pregnancy counselor can go over your options and help you work through your feelings until you come to a decision that feels right.

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