I’m Pregnant: What Are My Choices?
Sometimes things happen in our lives that we aren’t expecting. One of these surprises is an unplanned pregnancy.
Are you facing an unplanned pregnancy? If so, you are not alone. Many people become pregnant unexpectedly at some point during their lifetime.
If you are pregnant, you might be feeling excited, worried, sad, confused, happy — or all of the above!
Teen Health Source is pro-choice. We believe people have the right to make their own choices about pregnancy and have the right to factual and non-judgmental information about the three options available: parenting, adoption, and abortion.
Choosing to become a parent
- You can continue with your pregnancy and become a parent with or without a partner.
- For more information check out Choosing to Become a Parent and Support for Young Parents.
Choosing adoption
- You can continue with the pregnancy and offer the child up for adoption.
- There are different kinds of adoptions available, so you can decide what kind of relationship, if any, you would like to have with the adopted child.
- For more information check out Choosing Adoption.
Choosing to have an abortion
- You can have an abortion.
- Abortion is a legal and safe procedure that will not affect your ability to become pregnant in the future.
- There is no age restriction on abortion; your health care provider simply needs to believe that you are making an informed choice.
- For more information check out Choosing to Have an Abortion.
Remember – It’s your body and your choice.
You are the only one who can decide what is best for your life. Your decision about an unplanned pregnancy may be easy or it may be difficult. It is completely normal to be confused or have mixed emotions. You can check out our Pregnancy Decision Making page for strategies to help sort through your feelings.
Try not to become pressured by what others think. You may find it helpful to reach out and find someone you trust who is objective and can support you while you make your choice.
For more information check out: Finding Support When Making Your Choice
If you have questions about this topic, feel free to contact one of our peer educators. [Link]
Last Edited: May 2020
