Before you Choose

You have major decisions to make about your pregnancy. You may be concerned with what your family and friends think, but the important thing is what YOU think. You need to learn about ALL of your choices: adoption, abortion and parenting.

Adoption Facts

  • Placing your child for adoption is not selfish: it means you are concerned about being a good mother and mature enough to make a difficult decision for the best interests of your child.
  • Carrying your baby through birth and completing an adoption plan is an act of extraordinary love and courage.
  • You can hold, name, and love your baby after birth.
  • You can have continued contact with your child as he or she grows up, if you choose.
  • Placing a child for adoption will not cost you anything financially.
  • Adoptive parents are carefully screened to assure you that they will be good parents.
  • If you are afraid of others finding out about the pregnancy, you may go to a maternity home until after the birth.

Similarities between Adoption and Abortion

  • You can pursue earlier goals and plans
  • You can live independently
  • You will not have to be a parent prematurely
  • You will be free from being forced into hasty decisions.

Differences between Adoption and Abortion

Adoption                                                                                Abortion

Your pregnancy ends with giving life

Your pregnancy ends with death
You can feel good and positive about your choiceYou feel guilt and shame
You will remember giving birthYou will remember taking a life

You will have plenty of time to plan you and your baby's future

Your decision is final
You can hold, name, and love your babyYou will never know your baby
You can have continued contact with your childYou will not be able to see your child

Parenting

If you are thinking of keeping your baby, you have many things to consider. Ask yourself:

  • Do I realize that parenting is a full-time job? Am I willing to devote my life to loving and being responsible for my child?
  • Can I raise a child and still meet my own educational, career, and social needs? Or, am I willing to make the sacrifices necessary to raise a child even if it means delaying my own educational or social needs for a time?
  • Where will I get support? Family, friends, father of the baby?
  • Should I get married or be a single parent?
  • Even though there will be hard work and adjustments to make, parenting is a wonderful and fulfilling blessing. Being as prepared as possible will help you to be the best parent you can be. Knowing that there are resources available to help you will bring you hope and confidence as you make plans for your future. Life House offers parenting education, assistance with baby & maternity supplies and referrals for other resources.

Life House has information available about all of your options. You can make an appointment to talk with someone and get answers to your questions. We want to help you through your decision to parent or adopt with education, materials and supplies, and loving counsel.

For factual information on abortion, click the link in the index on the side of this page. At Life House, we provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.  However, it is our counsel that abortion only compounds the difficulties surrounding a crisis pregnancy; therefore, we do not recommend or refer for abortion. If you do choose to have an abortion and experience post-abortion symptons, help is available through our PACE ministry.