If you are facing an unplanned pregnancy in New Hampshire, you are probably overwhelmed, scared, and confused. Rest assured that you are not alone, and there are experts available to help answer your questions and lay out your options.

Some common questions that a woman in your situation has are:

• What are your options if you are pregnant?
• Where do I find resources for unplanned pregnancy?
• How can I get unplanned pregnancy help?

Woman with varying life experiences face unwanted pregnancies, and it is common for them to feel fear, panic, uncertainty, and anxiety. If you are going through any of these challenging emotions, there are professionals who can guide you. They can help you find the support system and unplanned pregnancy resources that you need to determine the unwanted pregnancy option that is right for you.

If you want to speak to an unplanned pregnancy counselor, reach out to an adoption professional today.

What to do When You Have an Unplanned Pregnancy in New Hampshire

In 2011, nearly 5% of reproductive-age women experience an unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. You are not the first or the only woman to experience an unplanned pregnancy in New Hampshire, and there is support available to you. 

Angelica – a birth mother – experienced an unplanned pregnancy when she was 20 years old. She was raising two children already, in an on-off relationship with her baby’s father and living with her aunt. Her situation was not ideal.

“I had long nights that I would cry and pray that God would guide me,” she said. “And then I finally called American Adoptions.”

While Angelica chose adoption, this is not the only choice available to a woman who is facing an unwanted pregnancy. If you are in a similar situation, you have three unplanned pregnancy options in New Hampshire:

1. Adoption
2. Abortion
3. Parenting

What is Adoption in New Hampshire?

Adoption is the legal transfer of parental rights from birth parents to adoptive parents. In this unplanned pregnancy option, a woman is given a lot of choice. While carrying her baby to term, she gets to choose a family who she wants to adopt her child. She chooses the details of her adoption plan and her hospital plan. And she chooses from different adoption agreements that determine the sort of relationship she wants with the adoptive family.

Oftentimes, prospective mothers discover that choosing adoption as their option for unplanned pregnancy fulfills their desires for both themselves and their child. It is also a generous gift that can fulfill the dream of a hopeful adoptive couple.

Can I Meet My Baby’s Adoptive Parents?

Yes. If you are interested in a relationship with your baby’s adoptive parents, this is something that you can have. Whether you just want to meet them before choosing them or if you want to continue a relationship throughout your child’s life, you are in control and get to make these decisions. You can absolutely meet your child’s adoptive parents, choose them to raise your baby, and develop the relationship that you want to have with them.

Facing an unplanned pregnancy can feel limiting, but choosing adoption for your baby opens up opportunities and choices – like selecting the perfect adoptive family.  

The first step that you will take toward this end is to partner with an adoption agency. When you work with professionals, you receive the guidance that you need to create an adoption plan. This will serve as a sort of blueprint for your adoption.

In it, you will include a description of the type of family you want for your child that will be used to match you with available adoptive families. Your adoption specialist will give you access to family profiles to review, and when you choose a family who interests you, that is when you will get to meet them.

When you work with a national agency, you often get the chance to browse dozens or even hundreds of families because they work with couples across the nation to grow families. When you work with a local agency, you will be given a handful of profiles with the criteria that you want.

To begin your search for an adoptive family, you can contact the following New Hampshire adoption agencies:

National agencies:

• American Adoptions
• Alliance for Children
• Bethany Christian Services
• Gladney Center for Adoption
• Lifetime Adoption

Local agencies:

• Adoptive Families for Children
• Catholic Charities of New Hampshire
• Bethany Christian Services

How Do You “Give Up” a Baby for Adoption in New Hampshire?

Before outlining the steps of the unplanned pregnancy option of adoption, we want to address some common language around this choice. Saying that a woman “gives up” her baby for adoption does a disservice to the generous and brave act of deciding that adoption is right for you and your child. Placing your child in an adoptive home is certainly not giving up.

Adoption is giving your child the life you want for them, giving yourself the opportunity to choose when you want to become a parent, and giving a family the gift of raising a child.

Birth mother, Angelica said about this experience, ““My eyes just watered as they placed her into Jenn’s arms,” Angelica says. “She was no longer mine, but I knew in my heart that everything would be okay. Seeing how happy she made them and their family and seeing how happy their family was just reassured me that I had made the right decision.”

When you make the selfless decision to pursue the unplanned pregnancy choice of adoption, you will be guided through six steps:

1. Choose adoption as the unplanned pregnancy option that is right for you. There a multitude of reasons that women choose adoption, and only you can decide if it is best in your situation. You are not alone in your time of consideration. Contact us today for assistance.
2. Develop an adoption plan with an adoption professional. An adoption plan details what you want and need in an adoption. This document will guide you and others involved in the adoption through your adoption process.
3. Select the perfect family for your baby. Your vision for your child’s life will be the driving force behind this choice. Adoption professionals will curate a list of potential adoptive parents that match your desires for baby and offer you family profiles to view.
4. Develop a relationship with the adoptive family. During your unplanned pregnancy, you will have the opportunity to create a connection with the adoptive family that you chose. The way that you communicate and how often you interact are totally up to you and depend on your comfort level.
5. Give birth and sign adoption paperwork. In New Hampshire, adoption paperwork cannot be signed until 72 hours after giving birth. Signing the final adoption paperwork indicates voluntary consent to the adoption finalization. It is at this point that you are revoking your parental rights.
6. Continue a loving relationship with your child and their adoptive family. For some, adoption is the beginning of a lifelong bond, and for others it is a new chapter of life completely. When you decide on this alternative pregnancy option, you get to decide what your adoption agreement looks like, and can choose between open adoption, a semi-open adoption, or closed adoption.

Does Adoption Cost Money in New Hampshire?

Adoption is the least expensive option for unplanned pregnancy because it is free. It does not cost a prospective birth mother anything, there are no hidden fees, and many times, the woman is eligible for adoption financial assistance.

A credible and licensed agency should offer the following services:

• A 24/7 unplanned pregnancy hotline, like 1-800-ADOPTION
• Counseling and education
• Financial coverage of medical bills, legal fees, and pregnancy-related expenses
• Guidance while you develop your adoption plans and hospital plans

The right agency will make you feel supported and ensure that costs associated with your pregnancy are covered for you. If you are not receiving this level of care, you may consider switching to an agency that will make sure your needs are met. 

Is Adoption Right for Me?

No one can tell you if adoption is right for you, but there are ways that people can support you in this decision. Unplanned pregnancy counselors will offer you the information you need without putting any pressure on you to choose one option over another. Oftentimes hearing why this early pregnancy option appeals to other women can help you to solidify your decision.

Some common reasons that women facing an unplanned pregnancy choose adoption are:

• A woman’s situation hinders her ability to provide the life they want for their child. Many factors can affect a mother’s ability to give her child what she wants to give them. Whether they are experiencing instability, strained finances, or unsafe circumstances, the decision to place a child in a different home comes from a deep place of love and concern for their child.
• A woman wants to gift an adoptive family with a baby. When a woman chooses to carry her baby to term but does not feel ready to raise a child, it is often because she sees the gift that she has and the people on the other side of that gift. For some couples, adoption is their only option to parent, and the generosity of birth mothers makes this a possibility. 
• A woman desires a continued loving relationship with their child. Most modern adoptions have a degree of openness, and they allow birth mothers to receive updates about their child, and even to continue communication and foster a relationship.

What is Abortion in New Hampshire?

Abortion is an early pregnancy option in New Hampshire. It is especially beneficial to women who do not want to carry their unwanted pregnancy to term. Abortion is medical or surgical intervention that results in the termination of a pregnancy. Of the unplanned pregnancy options, abortion is the most controversial and is consistently challenged in the courts.

What Restrictions are on Abortion in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire does not have any of the major types of limitations that are enforced with this early pregnancy option in other states, but there are frequent attempts to restrict the procedure. For example, the Fetal Life Protection Act worked its way through the courts in the summer of 2021, threatening to limit the procedure to the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy.

Still, there are no waiting periods or mandated parental consent, and a woman does not have to receive counseling that discourages her from following through with the procedure. One notable limitation is the cost of an abortion. Depending on your situation, abortion can cost a patient between $0 and $1500.  

Who Provides Abortions in New Hampshire?

Another common restriction with abortion is the lack of access. While there are 12 clinics across New Hampshire, in 2017, they were only spread out in about 30% of counties. For some women, there may still be some difficulty gaining access to abortion services.   

What Risks are Involved in Abortion?

Contrary to popular belief, abortion is a safe procedure.  It is rare that it can affect your chances of becoming pregnant in the future. It is much more likely that you will experience some of the following side effects:

• Cramps
• Spotting or bleeding
• Diarrhea
• Nausea or vomiting

Abortion can also affect a woman emotionally. The range of reported emotions after the procedure are relief, sadness, elation, and depression. It is a difficult decision to terminate an unwanted pregnancy, and often a woman has mixed feelings and conflicting desires that she must work through. In most cases, these emotions last for a short period of time, but if you are struggling after the procedure, there are post-abortion counseling resources available to you.

Is Abortion Right for Me?

Abortion is not the right unplanned pregnancy option for every woman, and only you can determine if it is the correct path for you.  You are certainly not alone, though. There is unplanned pregnancy help available to you whether you are leaning toward parenting, adoption, or abortion.

Some situations that might persuade a woman to choose abortion include:

• They do not want to experience pregnancy. Pregnancy and birthing can be difficult on a woman’s body and, depending on their baseline health, it can even be threatening to a full and healthy life. Each woman has the right to determine when and if they want to experience pregnancy.
• They require privacy. In some situations, revealing an unplanned pregnancy has the potential to exacerbate an already tumultuous or even dangerous situation that a woman finds herself.
• They do not want to interrupt their educational or career goals. A pregnancy can be disruptive to a woman’s life and can make it difficult for them to continue to pursue their aspirations. Every woman has a right to choose if she is ready to accept this interference in her life.

For some women, abortion is quickly excluded from their options for unplanned pregnancy. This procedure often conflicts with an expectant mother’s values or the values of their support system. If this pertains to you, alternative pregnancy options will likely appeal to you more.

What is Parenting in New Hampshire?

Parenting is the choice to carry your baby to term and to raise your child in your home – as a single parent or in partnership with a significant other or family member. For some women who experience an unplanned pregnancy, the timing is the biggest issue, and for some, once the shock of pregnancy fades, the choice to parent their child is obvious. 

What are the Challenges of Being a Single Parent in New Hampshire?

Whether you are choosing parenting with a partner or not will significantly affect the experience you have raising your child. Being a single parent is complicated, no matter your life situation. Some of the challenges you might face are:

• Supporting a child with one income
• Developing a support system
• Finding safe and affordable childcare
• Caring for yourself along with your child

What Resources are Available to Single Parents in New Hampshire?

Raising a child can be a challenge for parents emotionally, financially, and practically. Without the support of a spouse or partner, these challenges are often much more difficult. Fortunately, there are resources that you can access after you make this unplanned pregnancy choice.

The following organizations offer some assistance:

• WIC
• Local Social Services
• Postpartum Support International

Is Parenting Right for Me?

If you have read the reasons that women choose the other two options for unplanned pregnancy and they have not resonated with you, parenting might be the right path for you and your baby.

Some commonly cited reasons that women choose to parent when facing an unplanned pregnancy in New Hampshire are:

• They can support a family financially. Money is often an obstacle between a woman and parenthood. When a woman has financial stability or can make reasonable adjustments to her budget to support a child’s needs, this option is much easier for her to choose.
• They can provide the life and environment that they desire for their child. Unfortunately, some women find themselves in situations that are unsuitable or dangerous for a child. A woman who has unreliable housing, is trapped in an abusive relationship, or just stretched thin by her current responsibilities may not see the possibility for her child to have the life she wants for them.
• Having children has been something they have wanted for a long time. Women who have always wanted kids will find it easier to transition from the shock of an unplanned pregnancy to the excitement of having a child of their own. While it might not be the easiest decision, for some women who really want to raise kids at some point in their life, they will find it easier to choose parenting.

This decision is yours and yours alone. It is your life and your body, and no one else knows the particular situation you are in. Remember that you are not alone, though, and that there are professionals who can offer you the empathy and support you need. If you’d like to connect with one of these experts, you can contact us today.