When it’s unplanned, discovering you’re pregnant can trigger an immediate sense of panic. It’s probably not a situation you’ve been in before, and it’s certainly not one you’re prepared to deal with. Your mind races. What should you do next? What options do you have? Is there something you haven’t thought of?
Truly understanding all of your pregnancy options can go a long way towards calming those fears and giving you a path to the best possible future for you and your baby.
Unplanned pregnancy options basically breakdown into three categories:
Abortion
An abortion is a medical procedure used to end a pregnancy, either through surgery or medication. While it may feel like an easy way out, many women deal with emotional and spiritual trauma for decades following an abortion. There also multiple medical risks associated with the procedure.
For those reasons and others, fewer women today are choosing abortion. In fact, the number of abortions performed in the U.S. has dropped continuously since 1990. Many healthcare experts and community advocates also credit increased education, more access to social services and improved adoption processes for this change.
If you’re considering abortion, pre-abortion counseling can be a valuable way to talk through your feelings and have your questions answered.
Adoption
Adoption is the process of selecting an individual or family to take legal responsibility for raising your baby after he or she is born. Adoption is often an attractive option for women who want to ensure their child grows up in a safe, loving home, and don’t feel they can provide that kind of home themselves.
Adoption can be a truly wonderful demonstration of love for your baby. It gives your child the opportunity to experience life and grow into his or her full potential. It provides the adoptive family the opportunity to share their life and love with a beautiful child. And it gives you the opportunity to continue along the path you planned for yourself, without the added responsibilities and challenges of raising a baby.
Depending on your preferences, adoption can take on several forms. If you wish, you can even maintain a relationship with your baby as he or she grows up.
Talking with a pregnancy options counselor is an important first step towards understanding how the adoption process works.
Keeping Your Baby
Most women would agree that the best possible option for an unplanned pregnancy is keeping and raising your baby. Yet, for some, family, lifestyle or financial struggles can make this seem difficult or even impossible. Through our work with women over many years, however, we at Sira have found that most women are more mom-ready than they think.
It’s natural to question your ability to raise a baby. After all, it’s a big responsibility. But you’ve done tough things before, and you can likely handle this one, too.
Some women underestimate not only their own capability, but also the support they’ll find from those around them. You may discover that family and friends are surprisingly supportive when you share the news of your pregnancy and your intent to keep and raise your baby. There are also numerous government and community programs to ensure you and your baby get the resources you need.
If you simply commit to loving your child and yourself, the rest will follow.
If you’re interested in exploring your unplanned pregnancy options, Sira’s counselors will listen to your needs and concerns, answer your questions and offer advice and guidance. They’ve helped hundreds of women and they’re here to help you, too.
Contact Sira in Gainesville today at 352-377-4947.