Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling [A Complete Guide]

In search of a pregnancy counseling hotline? Call 1-800-ADOPTION now to get free information and support.

If you are facing an unintended pregnancy and don't know what to do next, unplanned pregnancy counseling is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

• It can help you sort through your feelings, organize your thoughts and feel a little less overwhelmed.

• It allows you to explore your pregnancy options and make a plan to move forward.

• It is available 24/7, for free, when you call 1-800-ADOPTION.

Our pregnancy option counselors will help you cope with the emotions you’re feeling and walk you through each of your options to determine which is best for you.

We also have birth mothers on staff who have been in your shoes before and understand the difficult emotions you’re dealing with. Our options counselors will be by your side every step of the way to be a shoulder to lean on.

What is Options Counseling for Pregnancy?

Pregnancy options counseling is just what it sounds like: counseling that helps you explore all of your unplanned pregnancy options (adoption, abortion and parenting) and your feelings about each of them.

• The goal of options counseling for pregnancy is to help you determine how you want to move forward.

• It should be unbiased and supportive.

• Options counselors should not attempt to sway your decision, but help you come to your own decision that you feel good about.

You can call our unplanned pregnancy options hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION at any time, to get free, unbiased information and support.

Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling at American Adoptions

If you want to talk about your pregnancy options, counseling through American Adoptions can help you to work through your thoughts surrounding the following subjects and more:

Your unplanned pregnancy options. 

Every woman ultimately has three:

• Parenting
• Abortion
• Adoption 

You are the only person who can make the ultimate decision for your baby, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely alone in the process. There’s a lot to talk about, no matter which of the options you’re considering.

For example, if you’re thinking about parenting, you may need help tackling the financial part of the equation. Raising a child isn’t cheap, but a pregnancy counselor can help connect you with information about financial resources to help should you choose to parent. And of course, we are always more than happy to talk with you about pursuing adoption for your baby while providing crisis pregnancy counseling and resources.

Feelings about “giving up” or "giving away" your baby

It’s not uncommon for women to worry that they’re “giving up” on their babies by choosing adoption, and that’s partially because of popular adoption language. While people may refer to it as “giving a baby up for adoption,” in no way, shape or form are you giving up on your child.

A pregnancy counseling helpline can help you to understand just how much you are actually giving your child by choosing adoption.

“Adoption has a stigma. You know, there’s that ignorance that you’re ‘giving up’ the children, when you do not ‘give up’ a human being. In reality, you’re choosing something for them… I know a lot of people try to hide it because they’re ashamed of it, and you shouldn’t be. You made a big and hard decision for what was best for your child, and you should be proud of that.” - Birth mother Casey on why adoption isn't "giving up."

Communicating your decision to family and friends. 

If you’re thinking about adoption, you may be wondering how to tell your family members and friends. It’s normal to be concerned about their reactions, and through counseling for pregnancy and adoption, you can learn:

• How to have healthy discussions with those closest to you

• How to clearly communicate that this is your decision (and that anyone close to you should be supportive)

• How to involve supportive friends and family members in the process

Sometimes, it can even be helpful to begin counseling during pregnancy before you tell those closest to you about the pregnancy; a neutral professional may help you to work through your feelings before you have to address the opinions of those around you.

How to choose an adoptive family. 

At American Adoptions, you get to choose your child’s adoptive parents. It’s extremely important, because this ensures that you can help to build the life you imagine for your child. You may be asking yourself:

• Who are the perfect adoptive parents?

• What family best matches my goals for my child?

• How will I know when I've found the right couple?

Pregnancy counseling can help you to determine not only what you are searching for in the ideal adoptive family, but how to work on developing a relationship with that family when you do find them. If you’d like to look through adoptive family profiles today, you can click here.

Whether or not adoption is really right for you. 

Some women do find that, after undergoing pregnancy options counseling, adoption isn’t necessarily the right path for them. And that is completely okay. At American Adoptions, we never want to persuade anyone to stick with a certain unplanned pregnancy option if it isn't right for them. If adoption is right for you and your baby, you’ll know. If it’s not, you’ll know that, too. It’s our job to help you come to a decision you feel comfortable with, whatever that may be.

Even if you know the answers to all of the above questions — or if you’ve already made your decision and formed an adoption plan — unplanned pregnancy counseling can still be helpful. Sometimes you just need a friendly, understanding ear to listen when you’re working through uncomfortable thoughts and emotions in the middle of the night — and that’s what we’re here for.

American Adoptions offers counseling for pregnant women:

• 24 hours a day, seven days a week

• At absolutely no cost to you

• Whether you choose adoption for your baby or not

When you call our unplanned pregnancy helpline, you’ll never talk to an answering machine; instead, you’ll be connected to a licensed professional for the unbiased options counseling and support you need. This professional will be able to talk you through all of your options, not just adoption, and support you in doing whatever you think is best for your baby. We’re passionate about making sure every woman has access to counseling during pregnancy — whether she ultimately chooses to pursue adoption or not. Using our options counseling services never commits you to the adoption process. 

If you do decide to move forward with adoption, you will be connected with your own dedicated adoption specialist, who will continue to provide 24-hour pregnancy support and guidance throughout the process.

It is always an option to call the American Adoptions pregnancy counseling hotline. To speak with an adoption specialist, all you have to do is dial our unplanned pregnancy options hotline at 1-800-ADOPTION today.

Disclaimer
Information available through these links is the sole property of the companies and organizations listed therein. American Adoptions, Inc. provides this information as a courtesy and is in no way responsible for its content or accuracy.