Sometimes people find that they are pregnant when they did not plan to be. This may be because they had unprotected sex without using birth control, because they were not using birth control correctly, or because they were using birth control correctly and were one of the few people who became pregnant anyway.
If you find out that you are pregnant, you may consider continuing the pregnancy or ending the pregnancy by having an abortion. There are many things that factor into this decision: finances, career goals, the family or children that you already have, the relationship that you have with the person with whom you became pregnant, and social support from family and friends. There is no right or wrong way to make this decision. You are the only person who has to be comfortable and certain of your decision.
Continuing the Pregnancy
Even though your pregnancy was unplanned, you may decide that continuing the pregnancy is the right decision for you. If you do choose to continue the pregnancy, it is important to start prenatal care as soon as you know that you are pregnant. You may choose to see a physician (an obstetrician/gynecologist or a family medicine physician) or a midwife for prenatal care. If you already have health insurance, you can find a healthcare provider for prenatal care through your health insurance if you do not already have a primary care provider. If you do not have health insurance, you may be eligible for health insurance once you are pregnant. Prenatal care consists of bloodwork, physical exams, ultrasounds, and genetic testing that are done at various points throughout the pregnancy.
You may decide to parent after delivery, or you may decide to pursue an adoption. An adoption is often arranged while you are still pregnant, and may be coordinated through a social worker or an adoption agency.
Abortion
If you choose to end the pregnancy by having an abortion, you will need to find an abortion provider or an abortion clinic. Abortion clinics may be independent clinics, or they may be part of a larger network of clinics, such as Planned Parenthood or Whole Woman’s Health. You may be able to find the closest clinic to you by searching online, looking in a phonebook, asking family and friends, or asking your primary care provider for a referral.
Different states and countries have different laws about abortion, and it is important to be familiar with the laws where you live. Depending on the state or country in which you live, you may have to travel a long way to find an abortion clinic. You may also have to sign an informed consent form and then wait a few days before you are able to have the abortion. If you are under eighteen, you may require permission from your parent or guardian, or see a judge for permission to have the abortion instead.
When you arrive at an abortion clinic, someone will take your medical history and make sure that you are certain of your decision. You may have an ultrasound to determine how far along you are in the pregnancy, and you may have bloodwork done. Depending on how far along you are in the pregnancy, you may be able to choose to have a medical abortion or a surgical abortion.
- Medical Abortion: A medical abortion can be done up until 70 days, or 10 weeks, of pregnancy, and involves taking pills to cause your body to pass the pregnancy. During a medical abortion you will have heavy bleeding and cramping for a few hours. A medical abortion can be done in the privacy of your home. Following the medical abortion, you will need to have another ultrasound or bloodwork to confirm that the abortion is complete.
- Surgical Abortion: Although it is commonly called a surgical abortion, an abortion procedure does not require incisions or going to sleep with anesthesia. It is quick, safe, and is often done in a clinic or procedure room while you are awake or have a small amount of anesthetic or pain medication. The abortion provider will do a pelvic exam, gently dilate the cervix (the opening of the uterus), and remove the pregnancy. If your pregnancy is 14 weeks or less, the provider will remove the pregnancy using a plastic catheter and a suction device. If your pregnancy is more than 14 weeks, the provider may use additional instruments as well as the plastic catheter and suction device. You will experience cramping during the abortion process, but this will improve soon after the abortion is over. A surgical abortion is a shorter process than a medical abortion and you do not have to return for testing to confirm that the abortion is complete.
Both medical and surgical abortions are extremely safe and the risk of complications is extremely low. Having an abortion is much safer than continuing a pregnancy and going through the process of labor and delivery. Having an abortion does not change your ability to become pregnant in the future.
[Note: Crisis pregnancy centers are places that may look similar to an abortion clinic and may have a similar name, but they do not provide abortions. Instead, their aim is to convince you not to have an abortion and continue the pregnancy instead. They are often funded by religious organizations, and staff at a crisis pregnancy center are usually volunteers with no medical training. They may perform ultrasounds, offer you baby clothes and supplies, or pray with you. If you think that you are at a crisis pregnancy center when you intended to go to an abortion clinic, you should leave as soon as possible and seek care elsewhere.]
After Abortion or Delivery
Regardless of what you chose to do about your unplanned pregnancy, it is important to think about your risk for having another unplanned pregnancy in the future. You can become pregnant as early as 4 weeks after a delivery or 1 week after an abortion. If you do not want to become pregnant soon, you should talk to a healthcare provider about starting a birth control method as soon as possible after an abortion or delivery.