Unplanned pregnancy options for women have changed dramatically over the past few decades. While abortion, parenting or adoption have long been unplanned pregnancy options, only more recently has a woman been able to truly make her own choice for an unplanned pregnancy.

The face of adoption has greatly changed as well. When once a woman chose adoption because she felt she had no other options with unplanned pregnancy, she now gets to make the decision for herself.

Additionally in the past, pregnant women, pressured to choose adoption, had no say in how their child was raised, let alone had a voice in the adoption plan. Today, women considering adoption have their voices heard throughout the entire process.

Today's adoption process is very much like a road trip. The birth mother is in the driver's seat, choosing which road to take, how fast to go and is even free to stop and get out of the car whenever she wishes. The adoptive family is in the backseat, going along for the ride with the birth mother but not having any control over the trip itself.

When considering adoption, the birth mother has a variety of choices to make. Today's birth mothers handpick a family for their child. She has the opportunity to choose everything from a family living on a farm in the country to a family who will raise her child in the excitement of the big city. If she wants her child to grow up in a household with family pets, so be it. If a certain religion is important to her or if she wants her child to grow up with a sibling, it is all her choice.

In addition to choosing what family to place her child with, today's birth mothers can also choose how much future contact they desire with the adoptive family and their child. Birth mothers can see the child grow up through pictures and letters; some birth mothers may even specify a fully open adoption, which includes the opportunity to visit the child.

During the adoption process, the birth mother can choose to meet the adoptive family before the baby arrives or may speak with them on the telephone or via email. While at the hospital, she may choose to have the adoptive family present during the birth or may specify that she does not want them there.

Today's birth mothers are very much in control of their own adoption plan. The choices are hers to make, and her voice is heard.

On the long road to adoption, there are many twists and turns and many routes to choose from. With the birth mother at the wheel, only she decides where the process goes. Everyone else is just along for the ride.