How to deal with an unplanned pregnancy?

Handling unplanned pregnancy

Women may get pregnant in any phase of their childbearing years, even at totally unexpected times. Young girls could get pregnant before they even start with their menstrual cycles. Older woman may get pregnant during the beginning of menopause. Even women who are careful and using contraception could get pregnant. If you just found out that you are pregnant, and you weren't planning on it, what can you possibly do?

You have 3 options when facing unplanned pregnancy: Abortion, adoption or keeping the baby. The following tips will help you in dealing with an unplanned pregnancy.

• Take some time out for yourself. Start thinking about the three options. Is one of them totally unacceptable or impossible? If so, you're left with other two options.

• Imagine your life with each of these options. Imagine how much your life will be affected or changed if you keep the baby and what will be the consequences if you give your baby up for adoption or seek an abortion.

• Reflect upon your goals, with or without the baby. Will your baby fit into those goals? If not, are you willing to keep the baby and abandon those goals or put them on hold for some time?

• Consider talking to the father. You may, for your own reasons, choose not to let the father know about your pregnancy, but you may want his input before taking that important decision. And he could possibly want to learn about single father parenting.

• Talk to a counselor, call a pregnancy hotline or go to a pregnancy center. These professionals can help you make a decision about what you want to do with the baby. If you are planning to go to a pregnancy center, it will help if you conduct a little preliminary research beforehand. Some pregnancy centers are pro-life and have their own ideas about the decision that you make. Preferably, a counselor should be an objective person who is not caught up in the emotions of being pregnant. These people can offer you the pros and cons of the decisions without carrying the emotions which the father or other family members would carry.

• If you are a teenager, then speak to a trusted adult. It need not be a family member, but you should talk to an adult about your options since you may not be in a position to understand and take a decision on your own.

• Do your research. If you are planning whether to put your baby up for adoption or have an abortion, you must do your research. Understand the laws in your state properly. Will you need to go out of state for what you want? If you're choosing adoption there are still many other decisions to make, for instance, whether you want to know the parents or you want to let the parents tell your baby about you.

• Take care of yourself. If you're not sure about what you want to do, act like you're pregnant. Try avoiding alcohol, smoke or do recreational drugs. Get prenatal care, and let your health provider know your situation. They may have certain resources for you. If you finally decide to keep the baby, or put the baby up for adoption, you might regret poor decisions in early pregnancy.

• Take it one day at a time. This is one really important decision that can't be made quickly. Make lists, go for long drives, cry, and talk out to your close friends and family members. Try to make as unemotional and thoroughly examined a decision as possible.