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Unplanned pregnancy: your options

Revisado: 4 de octubre de 2026

Solo en inglés por ahora

If you are pregnant and did not plan to be, you have options. The decision is yours, and a doctor, nurse or clinic can help you think it through.

First, confirm the pregnancy

If you think you might be pregnant, a home pregnancy test can tell you from the first day of a missed period. A positive result is almost always correct. The next step is to see a doctor or nurse, or visit a sexual-health or family-planning clinic. They can confirm the pregnancy and help work out how many weeks pregnant you are. This matters because some options depend on how far along the pregnancy is.

Your options

There are three main options. You can continue the pregnancy and raise the child, alone or with a partner. You can continue the pregnancy and place the child for adoption, so that another person or family raises them permanently. In some places, the child can also be cared for by foster carers or by relatives (kinship care). Or you can have an abortion, which ends the pregnancy with medicine or a medical procedure.

The decision is yours

This choice is personal, and no two situations are the same. You are the best person to decide what is right for you, and no one should pressure you either way. Many people find it helps to talk to someone they trust, such as a partner, friend or family member, but you do not have to. If someone is pressuring you or you do not feel safe, tell a doctor, nurse or clinic. Take the time you need, while keeping in mind that timing can affect which options are open to you.

Where to get advice

A doctor, nurse, or a sexual-health or family-planning clinic can give you accurate information about all your options. You can ask them how they keep what you tell them private. Some services only discuss some options, so it can help to choose one that will talk you through all of them without judgement. Laws and services for pregnancy care, adoption and abortion differ from country to country, and sometimes within a country, so local advice matters.

Looking after yourself

Whatever you decide, emotional and practical support can help. If you continue the pregnancy, start prenatal care as soon as you can. If you could be pregnant, contact a doctor or nurse the same day if you have pain low down on one side of your tummy or any bleeding. Get emergency help for sudden, severe tummy pain, pain in the tip of your shoulder, heavy bleeding, or feeling very dizzy or faint. These can be signs of an ectopic pregnancy.

This is general information, not advice on what to choose. For support, talk to a doctor, nurse or sexual-health or family-planning clinic.