What Does Each Pregnancy Option Actually Involve?

You know you’re pregnant. You know you have options. But knowing the names of the options is one thing. Understanding what each pregnancy option involves is another.

You may be wondering:

• What would parenting actually look like?
• What does making an adoption plan involve?
• What happens with an abortion?
• How much time do I have?
• What questions should I be asking?
• What would each option mean for my life?

You don’t have to decide before you learn.

If you’re still trying to figure out how to choose a pregnancy option that fits your situation, start with our guide on How to Choose a Pregnancy Option. It walks through the questions you may want to consider before making a pregnancy decision.

Understanding what each option involves can help you ask better questions and figure out what you need to know next.

The three main pregnancy options are:

• Abortion: Ending the pregnancy through medication or a procedure.
• Adoption: Continuing the pregnancy and making an adoption plan for another person or family to raise the child.
• Parenting: Continuing the pregnancy and raising the child.

Each option involves different decisions, timelines, experiences, and types of support.

There isn’t one checklist that can tell you which option is right for you. Your health, circumstances, relationships, finances, goals, and support system may all be part of the decision.

Let’s look at what each pregnancy option involves.

Abortion ends a pregnancy. The type of abortion available can depend on factors such as how far along the pregnancy is, your medical history, and where you receive care.

Two broad types are medication abortion and procedural abortion.

Medication Abortion

Medication abortion uses medications to end a pregnancy. The FDA has approved mifepristone, used with misoprostol, for medical termination of an intrauterine pregnancy through 10 weeks of gestation.

Medication abortion involves specific eligibility requirements, instructions, and follow-up care.

Procedural Abortion

A procedural abortion is performed by a healthcare provider in a clinical setting. The specific procedure and what to expect can depend on how far along the pregnancy is and your individual medical circumstances.

If you’re considering abortion, questions to ask a qualified healthcare provider may include:

• How far along is my pregnancy?
• Which types of abortion are available to me?
• What would the appointment involve?
• What should I expect during and after the abortion?
• What are the possible risks and side effects?
• What follow-up care would I need?
• What would the cost be?
• Are there timing or legal considerations I should know about?

If you want more information before making a decision, Community Pregnancy Center offers a pre-abortion screening to help you get information about your pregnancy and ask questions before moving forward. CPC is a limited medical clinic who does not provide abortion medication or perform any surgical procedures.

Getting answers to these questions doesn’t mean you’ve decided to have an abortion.

Learning about an option is not the same as choosing it.

Adoption means continuing the pregnancy and making a plan for another person or family to raise the child.

Adoption can look different depending on the plan you make.

If you’re considering adoption, you may have questions about:

• How adoption works
• Who helps you create an adoption plan
• What types of families you can consider
• Whether you can choose an adoptive family
• How much contact you may have after placement
• What legal steps are involved
• What support is available during pregnancy
• What support is available after placement

Adoption planning is not simply about choosing a family. There can be many decisions involved, and adoption professionals can explain the process and the legal requirements where you live.

If adoption is something you’re considering, one useful question is:

What would I want my adoption plan to look like?

You can ask questions about the process before deciding whether adoption is something you want to pursue.

Parenting means continuing the pregnancy, giving birth, and raising the child.

That can involve things like:

• Prenatal care
• Preparing for labor and birth
• Deciding where to give birth
• Finding childcare
• Housing and transportation
• School or work plans
• Financial planning
• Healthcare for you and your child
• Building a support system
• Adjusting your daily life around caring for a child

You may already have children, or this may be your first pregnancy. Your situation may also change throughout pregnancy and after your baby is born.

If you’re considering parenting, it can help to ask:

What would I need to make parenting possible for me?

You might think about who could support you, what resources you would need, and what questions you have about pregnancy, birth, or caring for a baby.

Parenting doesn’t mean you have to figure everything out alone. Support can include family and friends, healthcare providers, community programs, parenting education, childcare resources, and material assistance.

Comparing your pregnancy options can be difficult when you’re looking at completely different paths.

One way to make it easier is to ask similar questions about each one.

What would this option actually involve?

Try to look beyond the name of the option.

What would you need to do? What decisions would you need to make? What would happen next?

What is the timeline?

Some decisions may have timing considerations.

Ask how far along you are, what deadlines or medical considerations may apply, and what you need to know before making a decision.

What would I need?

Think about practical needs such as:

• Money
• Transportation
• Housing
• Childcare
• Time away from work or school
• Healthcare
• Emotional support
• Help from family or friends

What questions do I need to ask a professional?

You don’t have to rely on social media, search results, or someone else’s experience to answer medical or legal questions.

Write down what you want to know and ask the appropriate healthcare provider, adoption professional, or other qualified resource.

What would this mean for my life?

This is where your own circumstances matter.

You might consider:

• Your health
• Your relationships
• Your education or career
• Your finances
• Your current children
• Your living situation
• Your future plans
• Your support system

There may not be an easy answer.

That’s okay.

You don’t have to decide simply because you’ve learned about what each pregnancy option involves.

Instead, pay attention to the questions that keep coming up.

• What information am I still missing?
• What matters most to me?
• What would I need to make each option possible?
• Who can help me get accurate answers?
• What do I need to know about my pregnancy first?

Sometimes the next step isn’t making the decision.

Sometimes the next step is getting enough information to understand the decision you’re making.

An ultrasound may provide additional information about a pregnancy, including gestational age, pregnancy location, and development. Depending on your circumstances, that information may help you understand what questions to ask next.

You can also write your questions down before an appointment. You don’t have to remember everything when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

Maybe you already know what you want to do.

Maybe you’re leaning toward one option but still have questions.

Maybe you’re going back and forth.

Or maybe you honestly have no idea.

You can still start learning.

You don’t need to know your answer before you start asking questions.

The goal isn’t to rush through a list of options. It’s to understand what each pregnancy option involves so you can make a decision based on information that applies to your situation.

If you’re facing an unexpected pregnancy, you don’t have to figure out all your questions by yourself.

Community Pregnancy Center offers pregnancy options information in a confidential, non-judgmental environment. You can ask questions, learn more about your pregnancy, and talk through what you want to know before making a decision.

You don’t have to arrive with an answer.

You can just arrive with questions.

You don’t have to have your entire future figured out today.

Start with what you know.

Then ask what you still need to know.

Your pregnancy. Your questions. Your next step.