I’ve Already Had an Abortion and Don’t Want Another One. What Are My Options?

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy and don’t want an abortion, you have other choices: adoption and parenting. Read on to learn more about these options. Or, if you want to talk to someone in person about your pregnancy, contact First Care to speak with one of our caring team members. You’re not alone in this!

Adoption

If you are considering making an adoption plan, it is important to understand all of your available options within this process. As the biological parent, you call the shots, so you can create an adoption plan that best fits your situation. 

Your options include:

• Open Adoption– This means that there is open communication between you and the adoptive family and child. This communication can happen in person or via phone, email, or video chat. You also get to set the pace of the communication, which means you can have as little or as much contact as you desire.
  
• Semi-Open Adoption– Similar to open adoption, communication can occur between you and the adoptive family and child, but this communication will be mediated by a third party (usually the adoption agency).
• Closed Adoption– This means that you will not have any communication with the adoptive family or child, and they won’t know anything about you (except for limited medical information).

If you’re interested in adoption, it’s essential to speak with a licensed adoption agency to learn all you can about the process. Adoption can be highly rewarding but also emotionally difficult. 

At First Care, we have our in house adoption agency New Life Adoptions and we have partnerships with local adoption agencies. We can refer you to them to have all your questions answered. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential appointment. 

Parenting

Parenting is another option that’s available for your pregnancy. While babies don’t come with an instruction manual, there are several key questions you can ask yourself to evaluate if this is the best option for you:

• Do I have a support system in place if I were to raise my baby?
• Where will my baby and I live?
• Is there a way to further my education or career goals if I have a baby?
• Am I willing to co-parent with my partner if he wants to be involved? 

These may seem like many questions and details to consider, but you don’t need to know the answers right away! Talking to someone about this option and researching resources in your community can help you gather a clearer picture of what this choice might look like in your life.

At First Care, we offer parental education classes through our Every Family program that can help you feel more prepared to parent.

Next Steps

Ready to talk through your options in a safe, compassionate environment? At First Care, we offer free appointments where you can look over options, ask questions, and learn about local resources that are available to you.

We are here to walk beside you on this journey. Contact us today!