PSc Unplanned Pregnancy

If you have had unprotected intercourse, suspect your contraceptive method failed, have been forced to have intercourse against your will, or have missed a menstrual period, you should have a pregnancy test. If you are experiencing unexplained breast tenderness, nausea, fatigue, or feel you are about to get your period but it doesn’t come, you should take a pregnancy test.

Standard pregnancy tests check for the presence of the hormone HCG in the urine, which is present in a particular concentration in pregnant women. It is best to take the pregnancy test in the early morning, when urine is not diluted with fluids. Public health and crisis pregnancy centers offer pregnancy tests free of charge or for a very small fee.

The option you choose is likely to have a large impact on your life, so it is important that you take some time consider each option along with a reasonable assessment of your financial and emotional resources. There are three primary options available to you, plus a new fourth last-minute option. These include terminating the pregnancy (abortion), giving the child to adoptive parents, and choosing to raise the child yourself or with your partner. The fourth option involves the relatively rare circumstance in which a female has hidden her pregnancy from others and has made no arrangements at the time of delivery.

Abortion: Should you choose to terminate the pregnancy, almost all clinics offer abortion on an outpatient basis. It is recommended that abortion be performed before the pregnancy has reached 12 weeks. Abortion is available in the second trimester, but this carries greater risk for your health. In general, abortion is a safe and relatively simple procedure that will not affect future fertility or reproductive health. Most abortions cost between $300 and $400.
Adoption:Some adoption agencies will cover the costs of your pregnancy. Financial stresses may be reduced if you choose this option. There are also pregnancy support services that will help you with issues such as transportation and childbirth instruction. You can arrange an adoption through a physician, lawyer, or adoption agency. While laws concerning adoption vary from state to state, you generally are asked to sign "relinquishment papers" indicating that you cannot change you mind after delivery and adoption. If you choose this, you must agree to regular prenatal care and to abstain from alcohol and drug use for the entire pregnancy.
Raising the child: This option involves a great deal of financial, emotional, and practical planning. You will need to make sure that you have adequate resources available to care for a child. It may be helpful to talk with a counselor who can help you evaluate your readiness for parenthood. It is not wise to make this decision only as a way to avoid deciding on the other two options. If you are a student and wish to remain so, this option is most feasible if you have a partner or family member who will help care for the child.
Hidden Pregnancy Option: It happens all to frequently that a woman who has hidden her pregnancy from important people in her life, delivers the infant realizing she is unable to care for it. A new program supported by United Way contributions enables the mother to go to any Hamilton County emergency room with the infant within 72 hours of birth. No questions will be asked and and the baby will be cared for and placed in a safe home by the Department of Human Services.

Whatever your choice, you will experience a wide range of emotions. It is important to remember that there is no "right" way to feel. Your emotions may be very similar to or different from others who have experienced unplanned pregnancy.

¨ Abortion: Some women experience feelings of guilt, remorse, shame, anger, and sadness following an abortion. Having these feelings does not necessarily mean that you made the "wrong" choice. Rather, these feelings probably indicate that you are experiencing normal grief and distress about all of the things you have been through. There is no time-frame for these feelings. You may find that feelings of sadness come months or years following an abortion. Some women do not experience negative emotions, but do report relief, happiness, and resolution. These feelings may be coupled with the realization that abortion was the right choice for you. According to studies, the most frequent post-abortion emotions are a combination of relief and sadness.

¨ Adoption: If you choose to give the baby up to adoptive parents, you will experience a wide range of emotions, including relief, happiness that you’ve helped another person become a parent, sadness that you may never know the child, and remorse that you are unable to be a parent at the current time. The pregnancy may be difficult for you, as you are aware of the developing fetus, while trying to avoid an intense emotional bond that may make adoption more difficult. The broad range of emotions from happiness to grief is usual, and you will likely feel both positive and negative emotions throughout your pregnancy and following the adoption.

¨ Raising the child: If you choose to become a parent, you will need to plan for both financial and emotional support. Since your pregnancy was unplanned, you have much less time for planning than individuals or couples who have been trying to get pregnant. You also have the additional task of adjusting to the idea of parenting, which you may not find easy. You may need to explore options for external support, including your family, partner, and local social service agencies. If you choose to work or go to school, you will also need to plan for childcare, which is usually expensive. Emotional support is also needed, as giving birth and raising a child are obviously extremely time-consuming and often exhausting tasks. You may also experience rapidly shifting emotions, including fear, happiness, ambivalence, anger, sadness, and joy. These emotions may be very intense and are complicated by the body changes and hormone fluctuations during pregnancy.

It may be a good idea to talk with a counselor or psychologist as soon as you suspect an unplanned pregnancy. A therapist can help you solidify your decision-making and will assist you to understand and cope with the wide range of emotions you may be feeling. Your partner and/or family are usually emotionally involved in the decision-making process themselves and may not be able to understand your feelings and opinions. It is important that you talk with someone whose focus is on you and whose only goal is to support you, your decisions, and assist you during the process. This is likely to help you as you (and your partner, if this applies) discuss what to do. A therapist can also provide information about social service agencies in your city that can help you medically and financially.

It is especially important to seek help if you are experiencing continued and severe depression, anxiety, grief, anger, or confusion. If untreated, these symptoms could lead to pervasive symptoms that can affect both your emotional and physical health and complicate your important decision-making.

If you have experienced an unplanned pregnancy in the past and are experiencing feelings of guilt, shame, doubt, anger, or sadness about your past decision, a therapist can help you explore these feelings and can help you learn to cope with the effects of your decision .

Of course the best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy is to be knowledgeable about the birth control alternatives that fit your value system and life-style. 85% of women engaging in fairly regular unprotected intercourse will become pregnant within one year. The resources listed below can help you identify the best birth control methods for you. These resources are also available to help you with decision-making, emotional recovery following an abortion, and education about adoption, family planning, and pregnancy: