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Help for an Unplanned Pregnancy

Confirm That You Are Pregnant:
Make sure that the pregnancy is positive by taking a pregnancy test to confirm this diagnosis. If upon taking the pregnancy test, you find out that you are truly pregnant, then it is the time to think of your options and what you plan to do. Having children may or may not be an option or probably not at this time. Be aware that it is quite normal to feel a lot of emotions with regards to this serious situation in your life. Deciding on what to do in an unplanned pregnancy is a difficult decision to deal with, irregardless of age.

Choices on how to handle an unplanned pregnancy :
There are generally three choices:

1. Proceed with the pregnancy and raise the child as your own.
2. Proceed with the pregnancy and give the child up for adoption.
3. End the pregnancy

Having Children:

The job of a parent is a daunting and difficult job where you cannot expect any promotions, vacation leaves, sick leaves or even resignation. But the reward of seeing your child smile at you, walk his first step is usually worth all those hardships. Parenthood needs a lot of patience and the ability to handle emotions. As parents, they need to guide and teach their children on what is right and wrong, and to maximize their potentials and talents to prepare them for the real world and what's in store for them. Having an understanding of what a parent's job entails prepares you for a career in parenthood.

Giving up the baby for Adoption :

When you choose to give up your child for adoption, this is a permanent decision. Adoption is a legal action that gives the baby to foster parents who can and is willing to raise the child as their own child. The decision to put a child up for adoption is quite hard to do. Some view it as a great act of courage and love that you are willing to give up your child to someone who can give him a better future which is something that you cannot provide at present. Be aware of the permanence of adoption. The foster parents will take care of your child and will have legal control over him and the decisions affecting him. Once you relinquish your claim to your child, you have no power over him anymore. You can help in selecting the adoptive family for your child or choose not to be involved.

Terminating the Pregnancy :

The most drastic and probably psychologically affected decision is to terminate the life of your baby through abortion via a medical procedure done by licensed health care providers. This decision to terminate the pregnancy should be thought about many times because there have been research to show that almost half of those who undergo abortion have been seen to experience a certain psychological change affecting their psyche.

Based on studies done by Planned Parenthood, a third of the population of women in the US will undergo an abortion by the age of 45 years; about 1.3 million women have chosen abortion to terminate their pregnancy. What a lot of people do not realize is that the female human body can have spontaneous abortions or more commonly known as a spontaneous abortion in about 15 to 40 % of the pregnancies that occur in the body.

Abortion is seen to be practiced for more than several hundreds of years. Now, because of the ruling by the Supreme Court on Roe v. Wade, abortion is now legal in the United States and safest as well. The best time to have an abortion is during the early stages of pregnancy.

Making a decision :

Deciding on what to do with an unplanned pregnancy may overwhelm you. But this is a decision that you have to consider for yourself. To be able to make such a decision calls for the need to look at what you believe in and how it will affect you when made. There are several personal issues that need to be resolved first such as: What do you want for your future to be? What are you doing at present? What are my plans. What is most beneficial for me? Am I able to support my baby? What do I believe in? what are my moral and spiritual beliefs?

Thinking over the options presented:

Total Honesty and getting in touch with reality counts when you are trying to decide on the option to choose on your pregnancy. Consider how it will affect your life, what you will do to support the baby, and the impact your decision will bring to your family and friends. Know if you still have other options for support if finances are the driving force.

Remember that although this personal decision is quite a personal one to make, you still have your family and friends to help you decide on what is the right thing to do.

 

Read about Pregnancy Tests