An unwanted pregnancy can cause serious emotional distress in a couple, especially for a woman. None of the options are easy and will come with a lifelong price to pay. Raising a child that was unplanned is a lifetime commitment, living with an abortion may be more difficult than you imagined (especially if there are fertility problems later), and an adoption may create a void that will never be filled. Ideally, everything possible should be done to avoid an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy.

When an unwanted pregnancy is confirmed, the first thing to do is to do nothing. That’s right, do nothing. You will have a rush of emotions that will need to subside to be able to make a rational decision that you can live with, that will have the minimal impact on your life, and the least amount of regret. Don’t hold back your emotions, but do hold back on decision-making.

Calmly look into your options and make sure you get all the details on each option. Talk to a counselor from both the right to life side and the freedom of choice (abortion) side. Remember, it is your body and you should be able to make an informed decision. Anyone you speak to will have their own view and will want to persuade you to join them.

There are three options that will be available to you when you have an unwanted pregnancy:

1.    Keep the baby
2.    Give the baby up for adoption
3.    Abort the baby

KEEP THE BABY

There are many resources available to help you be able to keep your baby. You have unseen and hidden strengths that will allow you to keep the baby and raise it successfully. If in your heart you know that you want to keep your baby, trust there is a way and search until you discover how to do it. You may not have all the answers ahead of time, but you find your way along the way.

GIVE THE BABY UP FOR ADOPTION

The pain and emotional distress you feel with an unwanted pregnancy is matched by couples who want a baby and are unable to have their own. They don’t understand how so many babies can be aborted when they are waiting desperately to adopt a baby to raise as their own. Their loving empty arms ache to hold a baby as you are trying to figure out how not to have one in your arms. If you just can’t keep the baby and need an alternative, with a few months of sacrifice of carrying your baby to term, you can give a priceless gift. It will cause an emptiness that cannot be filled, but many have learned to live with it and you will find a way knowing the joy you brought to a childless couple.

ABORT THE BABY

Abortion is the hardest decision of all, because there is not the comfort of knowing you brought joy like with the mom who chose adoption. Abortion is about the parent’s convenience and that can be hard to live with. For those who feel there is no other way, after calmly contemplating, abortion may be chosen. Counseling can help the unexpected feelings that will occur. It can be especially difficult down the road if a woman finds herself unable to get pregnant or doesn’t meet the right person to have a child with.

Whatever the decision, know that you can live with it and get help if you need to. Discuss what you are feeling with a counselor and trust yourself you have the strength to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.