Am I ready to be a parent? What do I do if I’m pregnant and not ready for another baby in Washington? How do I know if adoption in Washington is right for me? I’m pregnant; what are my options in WA?

As a full-service, national adoption agency, we get the above questions and more at American Adoptions all the time. It’s completely normal to feel stressed if you’re experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Washington (or anywhere else in the country). You’re facing a decision that will change the rest of your life, and it can be hard to know what to do. The first thing you should do, however, is breathe. While you’re the only one who can make this decision for yourself, that doesn’t mean you’re alone. There are plenty of resources dedicated to helping you make this decision. 

At American Adoptions, we’re passionate about educating women about their unexpected pregnancy options. Please know that, while we’re obviously passionate about adoption as well, this article is not intended to sway you toward any one unplanned pregnancy option. Rather, this serves to educate you about your options and to help you make the best decision for yourself. To learn more about any of the following information or to speak with a licensed professional, please call 1-800-ADOPTION at any time. You can get free information about parenting, abortion and adoption in Washington now.

Washington Unplanned Pregnancy Option 1: Parenting

If you’re experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Washington, the first question to ask is, “Am I ready to be a parent?” If you know you are, then you may as well stop reading this article right now. If you want to parent your child and believe that you are ready to do so, congratulations! Becoming a mother can be amazing, and if you feel ready, no one should ever tell you otherwise.

If, however, you aren’t certain you’re ready for that step yet, there are some things about parenting that may influence your decision:

• In 2013, it cost approximately $245,340 to raise a child until the age of 18. That’s a number that will only rise as time passes, and if you weren’t preparing to raise a child, it can be pretty daunting.

• Will having a child interrupt your education or career goals? It is absolutely possible to be a mother and still accomplish any goals you had prior to becoming pregnant, but some women do find that it’s more difficult to become a mother in the midst of working toward those goals.

• Do you have a good support system? Will the child’s father be involved in raising them? It’s absolutely possible to be an amazing single mother, but some women would prefer not to raise a child on their own.

• Do you want to be a mother? Not all women do. It’s not always a question of whether or not you’re ready to parent, but whether you have the desire to. There is no shame in admitting that you don’t wish to be a parent, either now or ever, if that’s the way you feel.

If you’re still unsure about whether or not you’re ready to be a parent, there are still two unplanned pregnancy options in Washington left to choose from.

Washington Unplanned Pregnancy Option 2: Abortion

Abortion is a very sensationalized topic, and it’s one that some adoption agencies might pretend doesn’t exist. However, abortion is a very real option if you’re experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Washington. If this is something you do consider, you’ll want to make sure you’re very informed about the procedure itself and the laws accompanying it. Since it is such a polarizing topic, be sure to get your information from reliable sources, such as Planned Parenthood.

A few things to know about abortion in Washington are:

• In 2014, there were 50 facilities in Washington that provided abortions; 33 of those were clinics.

• 60 percent of Washington counties had no facilities that provided abortions, and 15 percent of Washington women lived in those counties.

• According to the Guttmacher Institute, Washington doesn’t have any major state-specific abortion restrictions, like waiting periods or parental permission requirements.

Washington Unplanned Pregnancy Option 3: Adoption

The final Washington unplanned pregnancy option, of course, is adoption. We’re always happy to help women understand what adoption could look like for them, but for the purposes of this article, we like to point out the benefits of adoption that aren’t necessarily associated with other unplanned pregnancy options in Washington:

• Choosing adoption means that you get to stay in your child’s life. You can stay in contact with them and their adoptive parents to make sure they grow up in a happy, healthy and financially stable home.

• Because adopted kids are raised in homes that are prepared for them in every aspect, they are more likely to be active in extracurricular activities or to pursue higher education.

• If you know you aren’t ready to parent but do not wish to choose abortion, adoption is a way to ensure your child has a wonderful life with parents who are ready to raise them.

We don’t expect you to have magically made up your mind simply from reading this article, but we do hope we’ve helped to educate you a little about your unplanned pregnancy options in Washington. For more information about any of the above or to speak with an adoption specialist about what adoption could look like for you, please call us anytime at 1-800-ADOPTION. 

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