When facing an unplanned pregnancy, choosing the right option is never easy. You can decide to parent, adopt, or terminate the pregnancy; each has unique factors to consider.
If you already know that being a parent is not an option for you right now, read this article to understand the possibilities of abortion and adoption better.
Potential After-Effects of Abortion
Depending on your procedural type of abortion, you’ll want to consider the possible physical and mental side effects of terminating your pregnancy.
Psychological
While there are common physical symptoms of an abortion, psychological effects are harder to predict. Each woman may experience different symptoms, but many experts can agree that “abortion is consistently associated with elevated rates of mental illness.”
Women who already struggle with mental health are especially at risk for negative psychological impacts after an abortion procedure.
Surgical Abortion
While the psychological aspects are important, there are some potential risks to be aware of.
The Mayo Clinic lists the following as potential risks of surgical abortion:
- Perforation of the uterus
- Damage to the cervix
- Infection
- Scar tissue on the uterine wall
Medical Abortion
If you are early enough in your pregnancy for a medical abortion, there are some other potential risks to be aware of. The Mayo Clinic lists the following:
- Incomplete abortion, which may need to be followed by surgical abortion
- An ongoing unwanted pregnancy if the procedure doesn’t work
- Heavy and prolonged bleeding
- Infection
- Fever
Expense
A more immediate and practical effect of abortion to also consider is the expense. It can cost up to $500 for a medication abortion (this occurs in the first trimester), while a surgical abortion can be $1500 or more if you don’t have insurance.
What Do I Need to Know About Adoption?
Making an adoption plan allows you, the biological parent, to customize a plan that suits your needs, wants, and lifestyle. Several terms to be aware of include:
- Open Adoption: You share identifying information, communicate with the adoptive family, and are open to a relationship with the child.
- Semi-open Adoption: Using the adoption agency to communicate, you share non-identifying information and correspond with the adoptive family.
- Closed Adoption: No details about you or your situation are shared with the adoptive family or child.
Psychological
While there are no studies about the psychological effects of adoption, you may experience feelings of loss or grief or suffer from postpartum depression.
However, the majority of adoptions in the US are open, so you may also benefit from enjoying a relationship with your child.
Expense
There is no cost to the biological mother for making an adoption plan. Additionally, in the state of Illinois, some expenses of the birth mother can be covered by the adoptive family as long as they can be documented as reasonable and necessary.
Schedule an Appointment
This article is not an exhaustive list, but it should give you a solid foundation to build on as you think about your decision.
If talking to someone would be helpful to evaluate your options further, you can also schedule a no-cost consultation with our patient care team to help discuss your unique situation and know the local options and resources. Contact us today!
