Pregnancy is a very popular topic, but trying to figure out what's a myth or the truth makes everything 10 times more confusing. Everyone hears different options and opinions from social media, parents, friends, school, etc, but who are you actually supposed to believe ?
One thing I believe more young people should understand is that finding out you're pregnant doesn’t automatically mean you have to become a parent. There are three main options when navigating a pregnancy such as abortion, parenting, and adoption.
What's the difference?
Parenting means that you are personally raising the child while adoption means carrying the pregnancy to term and making a plan and choosing another family to raise the child. In addition abortion ends a pregnancy through a medical procedure or medication. Each of these options are very different and there isn't one option that's more right than the other.
The issue is that choosing between these choices isn't as easy as picking which ice cream flavor to get. As a young person or teen, usually start thinking about your life and the impact of the child. Some questions asked might be, What about my future? How will I continue my plans? What will my friends say? Can I even afford this? What will my parents think of me? Am I honestly ready to be a parent? In addition more questions about beliefs, relationships, and health might come upon.
Being young while dealing with pregnancy makes the public have different messages. Some individuals might say, “ Oh you're too young to have a baby, you're still a baby” while others might say “ You have to keep the baby”, and another might say “adoption is the best option,” while someone on Instagram says abortion is scary. When you're hearing everyone's opinions it can become difficult to separate what you really want to do from what others want you to do.
Pregnancy Options Counseling:
When taking in everyone's opinions it can be very challenging, pregnancy options counseling can help. Don’t think it's just sitting across or next to someone adding on to the opinions. Pregnancy option counseling is when a qualified healthcare counselor or progression can explain the options, clarify any questions, and help you find out what you want to do. The entire goal is to give you the most information so you can actually make an informed decision instead of pressured by others' opinions. They may help you navigate the process in a way that is easier for you and get connected to resources. If you need to find a clinic to help with the first steps use TeenSource’s clinic finder.
Another huge thing to know is to always understand where your information is coming from. Yes social media can be really amazing for hearing others' experience but their personal advice isn't automatically medical advice. If you're searching for information about reproductive health or pregnancy check where the source is reliable by seeing if it's from a qualified healthcare organization, trusted health website, or medical professional. Look for information that's based on facts not shame, fear, or opinion. Ask yourself: Are they trying to convince me or inform me?
At the end of the day, pregnancy is a decision only the person who is pregnant can decide about and young people deserve accurate information instead of opinions. When making this big of decision there isn't need for judgment, shame, or pressure. Never be afraid to ask questions and truly understand your options. Always remember that you are important and deserve facts.
-RJ Intern 💚