Regretting your pregnancy doesn’t make you a bad person. Feeling overwhelmed, scared, or uncertain about becoming a parent happens with both planned and unplanned pregnancies.

You can find a path forward that honors both your needs and your baby’s future.

Talk to an adoption specialist by filling out our simple form or calling 1-800-ADOPTION. today who is here from you from moment you reach out.

Pregnancy regret can feel isolating. Below, we’ll help you understand what you’re going through, validate your feelings, and explore all your options.

I Wanted to Get Pregnant But I Regret It Now

Maybe you spent months trying to conceive or felt excited about that positive test. But now that you’re actually pregnant, reality has set in, and it’s not what you expected.

This disconnect can be jarring. You might feel guilty for not feeling joy, or worry about what this says about you.

Here’s the truth: wanting to get pregnant and then regretting it when it happens is way more common than people talk about. Life circumstances change. Money gets tight. Relationships fall apart. Mental health gets harder. What you imagined and what’s actually happening are two totally different things.

You’re not alone in feeling this way, and you’re not stuck on one path. There are options available to you,and you have every right to explore each one without judgment.

I Already Have Kids and I Regret Getting Pregnant Again

If you already have kids, this pregnancy might feel even heavier. You know exactly what parenting takes: the sleepless nights, the money stress, the emotional energy. And maybe you’re realizing you just don’t have enough of any of that to give right now.

Regretting getting pregnant again doesn’t mean you don’t love your kids.

Actually, it’s often the opposite, you’re worried about how another baby might affect your ability to take care of the family you already have.

That awareness shows how much you love both your unborn baby and your current children.

A lot of women who are pregnant with a second, third, or fourth child they didn’t plan for choose adoption because they want to make sure their kids’ needs are met while also giving their baby the chance to grow up in a family that’s ready for them.

Thousands of Women Regret Getting Pregnant—And That’s Okay

It’s completely normal to regret getting pregnant—even if you planned this pregnancy.

Just search online and you’ll find tons of articles, forum posts, and social media threads where women talk openly about regretting their pregnancies.

Research and conversations are finally acknowledging that plenty of parents experience regret about having children, even though it’s still hard to talk about.

Pregnancy regret doesn’t make you a bad person or a bad mom. It’s a complicated emotional response to a huge life change—and it’s often made worse by:

  • Hormones that mess with your mood and how you see things
  • Feeling physically awful instead of glowing like everyone said you would
  • Life circumstances that changed since you got pregnant or decided to try
  • Mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, or past trauma
  • Relationship problems that got worse during pregnancy
  • Money stress that makes the future feel impossible

What you’re feeling right now is valid. You deserve understanding, not shame.

Why You Might Be Feeling This Way

Understanding why you regret getting pregnant can help you figure out what to do next. Every woman’s situation is different, but here are some of the most common reasons:

  • Financial pressure: Childcare costs, medical bills, and everyday expenses don’t add up.
  • Relationship problems: Your partner situation changed, support disappeared, or you’re facing this alone when you expected help.
  • Mental health challenges: Anxiety, depression, or past trauma can intensify during pregnancy, making the idea of caring for a newborn feel overwhelming.
  • Loss of independence: Pregnancy makes the reality hit: You’re giving up freedom you might not be ready to lose.
  • Outside pressure: Family, religion, or your partner influenced your decision. Now you’re realizing this isn’t what you wanted and mourning the future you’d planned.

Your Next Steps When Pregnancy Regret Won’t Go Away

First: you’re not alone. Thousands of women every year feel pregnancy regret, and a lot of them end up making choices they feel good about—whether that’s parenting with extra support, choosing adoption, or something else.

Here’s what we suggest:

Give Yourself Time to Sit with Your Feelings

Let yourself feel what you’re feeling without trying to immediately fix it or push it away.

Ask yourself: Is this just stress talking, or do I really not want to be a parent right now? There’s no wrong answer—just your truth.

Think About Your Actual Situation

Look at the facts: your money, your support system, your mental and physical health, where you’re living, your relationships.

Be honest about what parenting would take and whether you can realistically provide that.

Talk to Someone

You don’t have to deal with this alone. A pregnancy counselor can help you work through your feelings without judging you and talk through all your options.

These conversations are confidential and compassionate—they’re here to help you, not pressure you.

Consider Adoption if Parenting Doesn’t Feel Right

If you know you don’t want to parent but abortion isn’t the right choice for you (or isn’t available), adoption can give you a way forward that respects both what you need and what your baby needs.

Adoption isn’t giving up—it’s making an incredibly loving choice to make sure your baby grows up in a family that’s ready and able to give them everything. It’s a choice that comes from strength.

The Choice That Changes Lives: Yours and Your Baby’s

Choosing adoption when you regret getting pregnant isn’t about abandoning your baby—it’s about putting their needs first alongside your own.

With private adoption, you can:

  • Pick your baby’s adoptive family from profiles of families who’ve been screened and approved, who are financially stable and really want to raise a child
  • Create an adoption plan that works for you, including how much contact you want after placement
  • You can receive financial support including help with housing, counseling, medical care, and legal help—all at no cost to you
  • Stay connected to your child through open adoption if you want, or have a more private arrangement if that feels better

Choosing adoption doesn’t make you a bad mother—it makes you a mother who loved her child enough to make an incredibly hard, selfless choice. Birth mothers often say they feel empowered by their adoption decision, not ashamed of it.

View our waiting families today to see what kind of future your baby could have.

Adoption Can Give Your Baby an Amazing Life

If you know parenting isn’t right for you, adoption lets you give your baby opportunities you might not be able to provide right now.

Through adoption, your baby can grow up in a stable home with parents who are emotionally and financially ready, parents who have been waiting, preparing, and hoping for this chance.

Adoption isn’t about what you can’t do, it’s about what you can do. You can give your child a future where they’re wanted, supported, and cared for by people ready to be parents.

Talking to Someone Can Help — Confidentially

You don’t have to carry this alone. Whether you’re thinking about adoption or still figuring out your options, talking to someone who gets it can give you clarity and comfort.

We’ve helped thousands of women through tough pregnancy decisions, and we’re here to give you information, resources, and support—whatever you end up deciding.

What you’re feeling is valid. The choice is yours. And help is here whenever you’re ready.