I’m 20, Pregnant and Don’t Want the Baby. What Next?

It’s not uncommon to find yourself overwhelmed when you discover you’re unexpectedly pregnant. As a 20-year-old woman, whether this is your first pregnancy or not, you can feel unsure of where to go with your future. If you’ve decided that you are unable to raise a child and you feel you don’t want to keep them, then you have several options.

Adoption Choices of Arizona wants to make sure that you know you aren’t alone. Our adoption agency in Arizona is committed to helping birth mothers decide their next steps with an unplanned pregnancy. Here’s some insight that can help you determine what to do if you’re 20, pregnant, and don’t want the baby.

What are My Options if I am Pregnant?

Most birth mothers are presented with three options when pregnant and unsure of their future. You can choose to raise the baby yourself, terminate the pregnancy, or put your child up for adoption. If you’ve already decided that you don’t want the baby, then the first option probably is not for you. Of the remaining two options, if you choose to put your child up for adoption, you will be ensuring them a future and the best chance at life you could give them. For birth mothers experiencing an unplanned pregnancy or a situation where you no longer feel capable of taking care of the baby, adoption offers a positive experience that can change your life. 

There are plenty of valid reasons why a birth mother might not feel capable of caring for a baby. This pregnancy may come at a difficult time of her life, especially if she is young and trying to prepare for her future through an education or early career in her 20s. Sometimes, a woman may not have the capacity to raise a child for financial reasons, or she may not yet have secured a safe environment to properly raise a child in. All of these are common reasons for choosing adoption, and many women opt to go down this path in these situations. There is no shame in this, and you are actually showing a great deal of love and compassion for your child in doing so.

What can Adoption Choices of Arizona Do for Me?

By age 20, you will have complete control over what your adoption journey looks like. Adoption Choices of Arizona is dedicated to making an adoption plan that fits what you want. You have a say in the type of adoption and which adoptive family your child will be placed with once the adoption is finalized. Our focus is to make sure you have everything you need with resources and information so you can make a positive decision regarding your future, as well as your child’s. 

To utilize our free adoption services, all it takes is a phone call or email to contact us. From there, we’ll get in touch with you and schedule an initial appointment with an adoption caseworker to get you started on your adoption journey. We’ll work with you to complete your adoption application and customized adoption plan. Along the way, your adoption caseworker will help you determine if you are eligible for financial assistance, and what expenses you need covered throughout your adoption journey. 

What to do if You’re 20, Pregnant, and Don’t Want the Baby

At the end of the day, the best step you can take when you’re in an unfamiliar position is to do what you feel is right for you and your child. At age 20, you may still be figuring out the rest of your life, but that’s okay. Adoption Choices of Arizona wants to help you put together the pieces of the puzzle surrounding adoption while you figure out the rest. 

For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are an prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please instead, visit us here!

Meet the Author: Josh Drogemuller is a Senior at Grand Valley State University and has interests in writing and digital studies. A relative newcomer to the field of professional writing, Josh has spent the last eight years of his educational career honing his skills on the page. Josh is currently working towards a Bachelor of Science in Writing. 

Living in the Midwest, Josh looks forward to long baseball games and longer sentences.