Counseling for an abortion
For your own future well-being, it's important that you make a well-informed decision when you are considering an abortion. Counseling early in a pregnancy helps you reach a positive outcome, regardless of whether you continue with the pregnancy. Think through your choices, and seek counseling from a knowledgeable professional, such as:
- Your health professional.
- A professional counselor.
- A family planning clinic.
- An adoption service agency.
- Your religious organization.
- A genetic counseling service.
Some pregnancy counseling centers are opposed to abortion. If you are considering abortion, seek a professional who will advise you on all of your options.
If you feel unclear after consideration and counseling, try counseling from another source. However, to ensure a healthy outcome, try to avoid delaying your decision for too long.
Counselors will answer questions you have about your pregnancy and provide information about your choices, which are:
- Having a baby and dedicating yourself to supporting and raising him or her to adulthood.
- Having a baby and placing the baby for adoption.
- Having an abortion (both medical and surgical methods).
Depending on your decision, a counselor can help you with:
- Prenatal care and where it is provided.
- Adoption and the location of adoption agencies.
- Abortion and where it is provided.
- Birth control and how to obtain it.
- Insurance coverage or other reimbursement for abortion or for prenatal care, delivery, and pediatric health care.
- Psychological counseling services available in the community.
| Author: | Healthwise Medical Writer | Last Updated: October 6, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine Lori A. Boardman, MD, ScM - Obstetrics and Gynecology | |
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