Teen Adoption vs. Teen Abortion: Considering Unplanned Pregnancy Choices

It’s Important to Consider Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options Before Making a Decision

If you are a teen experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, you may feel a lot of uncertainty about your life and future.

But, you may feel 100% certain that you are not ready to become a parent.

If this describes your state of mind, you may be considering your other unplanned pregnancy options, which include:

  • Teen adoption
  • Teen abortion

As you can imagine, there are quite a few differences between teen adoption and teen abortion. And although this article will explain the differences between these two options, you are the only one who can determine the choice that is right for you.

If you’re considering adoption, you can reach out to an adoption professional today for help with no obligation to choose adoption. However, if you want to learn more about teen adoption and teen abortion, continue reading. 

Teenage Pregnancy: Adoption vs. Abortion

If you’ve decided you’re not ready to become a parent, you’re most likely considering your other unplanned pregnancy options, adoption, and abortion.

Although you may know you have both these unplanned pregnancy options, you may not know a lot about these options. The following sections will explain:

How Teenage Adoption Works

You may choose teenage adoption if you relate to any of the following:

  • You aren’t 100% certain abortion is right for you, but you don’t want to become a parent.
  • You are too far along in your pregnancy.
  • You need parental consent for your abortion, but you cannot get it.

Teens can benefit from choosing adoption because it allows them to keep their future plans while also providing their baby a bright future with a loving adoptive family.

If you don’t know how to start the adoption process, don’t worry – you aren’t alone! Many people, including adults, don’t know much about adoption or how the process works.

The following are a few adoption facts that can help you determine if adoption is the right choice for you.

You Can Choose Adoption at Any Point in Your Pregnancy

Unlike teen abortion, you can choose adoption at any point during your pregnancy. You even can choose adoption after you deliver your baby.

If you are one month or nine months along, it doesn’t matter. You can always choose adoption for your baby.

We want to note that you may need to obtain parental consent if you choose to place your baby for adoption in some states. But, this is rare and typically reserved for teens who are 13-14 years of age. You can contact us today to determine if any of these adoption regulations affect you.

Adoption is Always Free

You never have to pay any money to place your child for adoption. And when you choose adoption, you never have to pay for:

  • The adoption
  • Medical expenses during and directly after your pregnancy
  • Adoption counseling
  • Legal adoption services

You also can get access to other types of financial assistance. When you choose to work with an adoption agency, you will work with an adoption specialist. This specialist can help you find adoption financial assistance for:

  • Rent and utilities (this is helpful if you are currently living with unsupportive family members and need to find alternative housing)
  • Food
  • Maternity clothing
  • Cell phone plans
  • Transportation
  • And more

You Can Choose Your Baby’s Adoptive Family

It’s not uncommon for a teen experiencing an unplanned pregnancy to think they don’t have many choices in the adoption process. This could not be further than the truth.

When you choose adoption, you get to choose your child’s adoptive family. This is true even if you decide that you don’t want to meet the adoptive family or don’t want to have a relationship with your child after you give birth.

You Can Keep Your Adoption Confidential

If you decide that you don’t want to have a relationship with your child or get to know the hopeful adoptive family before and after the birth, you can choose a closed adoption.

When you choose to have a closed adoption, you and the adoptive family will not exchange personal information, and you will not meet.

Some adoption agencies can help you keep your pregnancy confidential, too. Closed adoption typically involves helping you relocate into a rental or maternity home for the entirety of your pregnancy.

You Can Have a Relationship With Your Baby 

You can also choose to have a relationship with your baby after giving birth.

When you choose to continue your relationship with your baby, you can:

  • Watch your baby grow up in an adoptive family that is prepared to care for them.
  • Continue to grow your relationship with your child.
  • Get regular updates about your child and watch them grow via photos, videos, and in-person meetings.
  • And more.

Open adoption or semi-open adoption is an option for a teen who is 100% certain that parenthood is not right for them right now, but they would still like to build a relationship with their child and watch them grow.

How Teenage Abortion Works

If you are still considering your options and want to learn more about teen abortion, you’ll want to consider these abortion facts.

Teen Abortion Regulations

Right now, abortion is legal in all 50 states in the United States, thanks to the Roe vs. Wade U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 1973. But, if Roe vs. Wade is ever overturned, abortion will immediately become illegal in certain states.

Although abortion is legal, there are still a few regulations that can make it more challenging to get the procedure:

Pregnancy Stage Restrictions

It is more difficult to get an abortion in certain states, especially if you are further along in your pregnancy. For example, you are more likely to be able to get an abortion before you are 14 weeks along in your pregnancy. And in general, most states restrict abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Parental Consent for Abortion

One of your biggest questions about abortion may be: “Can you get an abortion without your parents knowing?” The answer to this question is somewhat complicated.

If a teen is younger than 18, some states require parental consent before getting an abortion. Planned Parenthood has a lot of information about abortion without parental consent and parental consent laws.

State-Specific Regulations

Many states also require women seeking an abortion to fulfill state-mandated regulations, which typically include:

  • Counseling
  • A mandated waiting period

Abortion Costs

In general, abortion costs between $0 and $1,000, and the price depends on the type of abortion you have, your pregnancy stage and your insurance coverage.

Teen Abortion Types and Steps

Before considering the type of abortion you want to get, make sure you’re obtaining the service through a reputable organization that has done many safe abortions. Your health and safety should always be top of mind. Because abortion is typically safe when performed by an experienced doctor.

The following are the first few steps of getting an abortion that you will have to undergo no matter what type of abortion you choose:

  • Step 1: After thinking about your unplanned pregnancy choices, you determine that abortion is the right choice for you.
  • Step 2: Contact an experienced and trustworthy abortion clinic.
  • Step 3: Your first appointment will generally include an ultrasound. You also will need to fill out abortion consent paperwork. Depending on the state you live in and the clinic you choose, you may need to attend multiple appointments at the clinic and receive state-mandated counseling. You also might have to complete a state-mandated waiting period before you can have an abortion. You also may need to get parental consent.

Medical Abortion

Medical abortion is more commonly known as the “abortion pill.” You can choose the two-pill medical abortion up to 10 weeks into your pregnancy.

If you choose to have a medical abortion, these are the following steps:

  • Step 4: You’ll go to the abortion clinic and take the first pill. This pill will block the hormones that support your pregnancy.
  • Step 5: You’ll take the second abortion pill when you return home. This pill will help empty your uterus.
  • Step 6: In one to two weeks, you’ll return to the clinic and have another ultrasound to verify that the medical abortion you had was successful.

Surgical Abortion

You can get a surgical abortion between 11 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, as long as no other state-specific mandates dictate otherwise.

If you choose to get a surgical abortion, you can prepare by consulting these steps:

  • Step 4: You can choose to take pain medication before your abortion. You also can choose to receive a numbing medication injected into your cervix, which can decrease discomfort during the procedure.
  • Step 5: A narrow tube will be inserted through your cervix and into the uterus. The tube is attached to a vacuum, which gently empties your uterus. The doctor will then perform an ultrasound to ensure that your uterus is empty.
  • Step 6: After your procedure is complete, you’ll rest in the clinic’s recovery room for an hour. You’ll be monitored for side effects and adverse reactions. You typically won’t need to come in for a follow-up appointment unless you experience severe side effects like blood clots, infection, or excessive pain.

Other Teenage Abortion Considerations

A teen experiencing an unplanned pregnancy may choose teen abortion for many different reasons, including:

  • She doesn’t want to put her body through pregnancy.
  • She is the victim of sexual assault and wants to terminate the resulting pregnancy.
  • She doesn’t want to go through childbirth.

Remember: You are in control. You can choose to have an abortion for any reason. You are the only one who can make this decision.

Final Thoughts Considering Abortion and Adoption in Teenage Pregnancy

We hope that you’re able to take some time to think about what unplanned pregnancy choice is right for you. Both teen abortion and adoption have positives, negatives, and possible restrictions to consider. Whatever your unplanned pregnancy choice, remember that you can reach out to professionals for help at any time. Contact us today to discuss your options.

About the Author

Lindsay Arielle has been a proud birth mother since placing her son for adoption in 2011. Her post-placement agreement has always been an open adoption. She loves the time she gets to spend with her son and his parents during visits. Lindsay truly believes that for herself and her family, adoption has been a blessing, and she enjoys writing about spiritual healing for birth mothers.

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