My Partner is Pressuring me to have an Abortion
An unplanned pregnancy is not easy to navigate. You may feel scared, confused, and overwhelmed by what's ahead. Know you are not alone. Your friends, family and even your partner may be pressuring you to take care of it. If your partner is pressuring you to have an abortion but you are not sure, here’s what you should know.
You Have the Final Say
Ultimately - you have the final say with your pregnancy decision and no one should pressure you into making any decision you don’t want to make. Coercion is illegal, no matter who it comes from. If you feel unsafe or are experiencing verbal or physical abuse from your partner, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1.800.799.7233 right away.
You Have Options
It’s easy to let the pressure of others get to you as you are in a vulnerable state mentally and emotionally. Know that you have options that you should consider carefully. You are the one who has to make the final decision. With an unplanned pregnancy, you basically have three options: abortion, adoption, or parenting.
Option 1: Abortion
There are two different types of abortion: surgical abortion and medical abortion. Each one comes with unique risks. The type of abortion you may qualify for depends on how far along you are. The only way to know this detail is to get an ultrasound. (Here at NOVA Pregnancy Help Centers we offer free ultrasounds if you have a positive pregnancy test result. With the ultrasound, you can find out exactly how far along you are.)
Surgical abortion is when the doctor uses a tool to open up your cervix, then “vacuum” out the fetus from your uterus. Sometimes they also use a tool to scrape out any remaining parts. Possible risks of surgical abortion include damage or scar tissue to the uterus or cervix, excessive bleeding, infection, and more.
Medical abortion (also known as the abortion pill) is medication prescribed by a doctor after a meeting in person or online. It requires taking 2 pills over a few days to end the pregnancy and cause your body to cramp and bleed out the fetus. The risks of the abortion pill include incomplete abortion, infection, heavy/prolonged bleeding, fever, or digestive discomfort.
Option 2: Adoption
Many women write this off as not an option, partially because they feel like they couldn’t go through with a whole pregnancy and then “give their baby away”. But that’s not what it is about. Adoption is about realizing that you may not be ready to parent, but you still want this baby to live a good life, even f its not with you. Did you know that there are different types of adoption that you can choose from?
Open adoption is the most common type, where you get to choose the adoptive parents, meet them, and agree on how often you can see your child and receive updates and photos. There are closed adoptions where you can still pick the parents but you don’t have to have any relationship with the baby at all. Then there are semi-open adoptions which fall somewhere in between. You have some control depending on what type of relationship you want with your child and the adoptive parents, if any.
Option 3: Parenting
This option can seem overwhelming, but maybe parenting is what you want to choose deep down. The parenting journey may come with doubts and many questions, but we are here to help you navigate through them together. Learn how you can get free parenting support and resources from our team today.
Talk Safely & Confidentially
Our team at Nova Pregnancy Help Centers is here to provide nonjudgmental, confidential help and education on your options. We can help you get the information you need to make the best decision for you. We also offer ultrasounds and STI testing. Schedule a free appointment today to talk about your options, in a safe and confidential environment. Our compassionate team is here to listen and lend our support.