What are my options if I’m pregnant in Hawaii? Where can I turn to learn how to decide to keep a baby or not? Am I ready to be a parent? Who can help me decide what to do if I’m not ready to be a parent?

If you’ve recently found yourself facing an unexpected pregnancy in Hawaii, it’s reasonable to assume you’re under a good deal of stress. Questions like those above may be running through your mind, in addition to many more. This is completely understandable. An unplanned pregnancy can be a stressor for anyone, particularly if you aren’t sure what your next steps should be. Our first advice, if you find yourself in this situation, is to breathe. Everything is going to be okay. The best thing you can do right now, if you’re unsure what to do about your unexpected pregnancy, is to learn as much as possible about your three unplanned pregnancy options in Hawaii.

While we are, obviously, an adoption agency, it’s important to know that this article was written only to educate you about the unplanned pregnancy options available to you in Hawaii. Its intent is not to sway you towards adoption in Hawaii, nor is it intended to persuade you that any one choice is better or worse than the others. Rather, the three following unplanned pregnancy options are available to every Hawaii woman, and any of them could be the right decision for you.

If you want more information about adoption in Hawaii, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION or fill out our free online contact form today. 

1. Parenting

If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy in Hawaii, the first question you have to ask yourself is: Am I ready to be a parent? If the answer to this question is a definite yes, then the rest of this article, which concerns abortion and adoption in Hawaii, is not for you. If you feel that you’re ready and wish to be a parent, no one should ever advise you to do otherwise. There’s no need to research your other options if you think you’re ready to be a mother to this baby. However, if you aren’t sure you’re ready to become a parent, there are some aspects of becoming a mom that you may want to think about:

• A 2015 estimate from the Department of Agriculture priced raising a child until the age of 17 at around $233,610, and that’s a figure that will only rise as time passes. It also doesn’t include anything past the age of 17, such as college or other further educational opportunities. This is a lot of money for anyone, but particularly for someone who hasn’t been saving in preparation of becoming a parent.

• Do you have a reliable support system to help you raise your baby? For some women experiencing unplanned pregnancies in Hawaii, it’s important that the father of the child be around to help provide a safe, loving environment. While this is, of course, not necessary, it’s important to think about your family structure and whether or not you’ll have help parenting.

• Will you be able to continue with your current education or career goals if you become a parent right now?

• Practicalities aside, do you want to be a mom? Do you want to be a mom later but not right now? Having these feelings is not selfish, nor is it uncommon. There is absolutely nothing wrong with not wishing to become a parent.

If you’re still on the fence about parenting — or if you’re fairly confident that it isn’t for you — that’s okay. There are still two more Hawaii unplanned pregnancy options to consider.

2. Abortion

Abortion is easily the most sensitive to discuss of the three unplanned pregnancy options in Hawaii. As an adoption agency, you might expect us to skip this one, but that isn’t the case. Abortion is an option for you, and we aren’t here to tell you whether it’s wrong or right. That’s something only you can decide. If you are considering this option, we encourage you to learn everything you can about it. Keep in mind when researching that, because it’s such a sensitive subject, it’s important to use reliable resources only, like Planned Parenthood. In terms of abortion facts specific to Hawaii, it may be relevant that:

• In 2014, there were 29 facilities that provided abortions in Hawaii. Four of these were clinics.

• Around 40 percent of Hawaii counties had no clinics that provided abortions. Approximately 5 percent of Hawaii women lived in these counties.

• As of May 1, 2018, Hawaii did not have any specific abortion restrictions, such as waiting periods or mandated parental approval.

3. Adoption

Of course, the final unplanned pregnancy option in Hawaii is adoption. Naturally, we’re partial to this option and could write volumes, but we’ll keep it short by listing some of the lesser known benefits of adoptionthat don’t accompany the other two Hawaii unplanned pregnancy options:

• An adopted child grows up with not just one but two sets of loving parents who place the child’s needs above everything else.

• Adoption allows you to remain in your child’s life and to ensure that he or she grows up happy, healthy and loved, while also enabling you to postpone parenting until you’re completely ready.

• An adopted child is more likely to be active in extracurricular activities as well as pursue higher education due to being raised in a household that is financially prepared to raise a child.

While this article may not have immediately made clear the right choice for you, we do hope it helped you to learn about your unexpected pregnancy options in Hawaii. To learn more or to speak with a licensed social worker, contact American Adoptions at 1-800-ADOPTION.

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