Someone asked us: I am 17 and pregnant, and I don’t know what to do. My boyfriend does not know yet, but he is extremely religious, as are his parents. This means that they are incredibly pro-life. I do not want to raise a baby, and my parents have already said that they would not allow me to put a child up for adoption if I ever did have a baby as a teenager. I do not want to be a teen mom, but my boyfriend would hate me forever if I had an abortion! Please, what should I do?
This is a really tough situation. And while the opinions of those close to you are important, the decision whether to have an abortion is yours.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself that may help you decide what to do:
- How will my decision affect my life and future?
- How do I feel about being a parent right now?
- How do I feel about going through pregnancy and childbirth?
- How do I feel about adoption?
- How do I feel about abortion?
- What kind of support would I need to make any of these decisions?
- Will my friends, family, and partner support my decision?
- Is anyone or anything pressuring me to make a certain choice?
Talking with someone you trust about your feelings can be helpful. You can try talking to a trusted family member, partner, friend, school counselor, religious advisor, community member, or another person you trust. Choose someone who you feel will listen to you without judgment, be supportive, respect your privacy, and not try to pressure you into anything.
If you’re having a hard time finding someone to talk to, you can check out All-Options. They have a free hotline that gives you a confidential space to talk about making decisions about a pregnancy.If you choose abortion, your state may require one or both of your parents to give permission for you to have an abortion. They may also be told about your decision to have an abortion before it happens.Usually, judges in these states can decide whether you can have an abortion without involving your parents (called “judicial bypass”). To find out more about the laws in your state, check out Parental Consent and Notification Laws.
Learn more about your pregnancy options.
Tags: Abortion, pregnancy, pregnancy options