Your Question:
Dear Experts,
im pregnant what options do i have
cheesyfeet, 05.04.05
The Answer:
Dear cheesyfeet,
A woman who is pregnant has three options:
- She can choose to have a baby and raise her child.
- She can choose to have a baby and place her child for adoption.
- She can have an abortion.
Only you can decide which choice is right for you. But deciding may be hard to do — there’s a lot to think about. To help you decide which choice is best for you, you may want to ask yourself the following questions:
- Which choice(s) could I live with?
- Which choice(s) would be impossible for me?
- How would each choice affect my everyday life?
- What would each choice mean to the people closest to me?
- What’s going on in my life?
- What are my plans for the future?
- What are my spiritual and moral beliefs?
- What do I believe is best for me in the long run?
- What can I afford?
Finding out that you’re pregnant — especially if you don’t want to be — can be stressful, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Talking about how you feel can help relieve your anxiety and begin to make your decision.
You can talk about your feelings with your partner, someone in your family, or a trusted friend — someone you think will be supportive. Family planning clinics have specially trained counselors who can talk with you about your options. Your counselor will try to make sure that you are not being pressured into any decision against your will. You may bring your partner, your parents, or someone else if you wish. You get to decide who will be a part of your decision-making process.
Look for a health center that will give you complete information about your options. If you need help, call 1-800-230-PLAN to find a local Planned Parenthood health center near you.
For more information, check out What If I’m Pregnant?
Hope this information helps!
Take care,
teenwire.com® Editors
This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.
