It can be stressful when sudden changes disrupt our initial plans. Perhaps you’re on track with a five-year plan when something pops up. It could be something small, such as unpredictable road construction that forces you to take a different way to work. But other times, events in our lives can be more dramatic and harder to cope with. An unexpected pregnancy often falls into the latter category. The abruptness of this news may have caused you to feel a loss of control. It’s normal to feel lost or confused, but where do you turn when a pregnancy doesn’t fit into your five-year plan?
When an unexpected pregnancy disrupts your goals, reaching out for support and next-step services is a great place to start. Avenue Women’s Center is here to provide you with both. Receive a free medical-grade pregnancy test to confirm your results right away. Afterward, our expert staff will provide you with information regarding your pregnancy options and answer any questions you may have.
Contact us today at any of our six locations in DuPage County for reliable information about abortion, adoption, and parenting!
Will an Unexpected Pregnancy Affect My Five-Year Plan?
The positive results of your pregnancy test might have come as a surprise. No matter what your thoughts are about your situation, discovering that you’re pregnant can be an emotional experience. It’s normal under these circumstances for your mind to start racing toward what you should do next. But it’s recommended you take a few moments to breathe and process your feelings first.
Unexpected Pregnancy – Tackling Your Emotions
A heavy range of emotions can accompany the news of a pregnancy you might not have felt prepared to deal with. Some women may go through periods of denial, anger, sadness, or depression. There may be anxieties about the future, and how this sudden change may impact your long-term plans. With so much to sort through, taking time to work through these feelings can help you find the right option.
Managing stressors that can come with big changes can be hard to do alone. You may be experiencing an assortment of conflicting emotions right now. By keeping these things inside of you, it can be difficult to know what you’re truly thinking. Sometimes, giving a voice to what may be causing us anxiety can help us find a way to cope.
Unexpected Pregnancy – Importance of Support
Before you make an unexpected pregnancy decision, building a support system can be beneficial. This may come from your personal relationships, such as your friends or family. But professional resources are here to help you as well by supplying you with accurate information and support. By working with a healthcare provider, a counselor, or a pregnancy consultant, you can receive guidance on how to move forward.
Unexpected Pregnancy – Determining Next Steps
The future is often unforeseeable and challenging to predict. But for some of us, that does not stop us from worrying about it. You may be afraid of what being pregnant means for you long-term. But what may or may not come is typically not within our control. It’s hard, but try to focus on what you can do now to find the best outcome for yourself.
While the circumstances may have caught you off guard, focusing on the small steps you can take can help you regain a sense of control. It may also make these new changes feel just a little easier to handle.
What If I’m Thinking About Abortion?
After discovering you were pregnant, you might have remembered abortion is one of your three options. The concerns you have about how this pregnancy may impact your education or career plans may have led to thoughts about not continuing the pregnancy. Being pregnant can be a major event in your life. This means all of your decisions have the potential to impact your future in a way. Finding the right one often requires careful contemplation and information-gathering.
Considering Abortion – Gather Information
Once you’ve confirmed the pregnancy through a medical-grade test and have given yourself time to process the news, then you may want to begin talking through your choices. Even if you’re thinking about abortion, it’s usually a good idea to learn more about parenting and adoption as well. This way, you can weigh the advantages and disadvantages behind each of these possible solutions.
Speaking with a professional resource, you can also learn more about the different types of abortion procedures. For example, how far along you are may determine whether you will have a surgical or non-surgical abortion (commonly referred to as the “abortion pill”). Understanding the variation between these two abortion methods may help you when you’re thinking about how to move forward.
Considering Abortion – Importance of Ultrasound
In addition, you may want to schedule an ultrasound exam. Some women who are planning to have an abortion may think they do not need one, but this is not always the case. An ultrasound can inform you about the pregnancy’s gestational age, and detect early pregnancy risks that may require medical treatment. This is why once you know for sure that you’re pregnant, it’s recommended you schedule an ultrasound exam as soon as possible.
Accepting a sudden alteration to your five-year plan is not always easy. But by working with helpful resources, taking the first steps toward a potential decision can seem less burdensome.
Schedule an Appointment
Facing an unexpected pregnancy can feel like an impossible challenge that disrupts your life. That’s why Avenue Women’s Center is prepared to meet with you as you gather reliable information while planning out how to move forward. We offer women limited medical services and resources to determine if abortion is the right next step for them. You can also schedule a private appointment with an expert pregnancy consultant for in-depth information about your options.
Reach out today for compassionate support as you navigate through the decision-making process!
The information provided here is general in nature. It is not a substitute for a consultation with a medical professional. Before any medical procedure, it is imperative that you discuss your personal medical history, risks, and concerns with your doctor. If you have questions during or after a procedure, your doctor should be immediately contacted. Avenue Women’s Center is not an emergency center. If you are experiencing severe symptoms, such as bleeding and/or pain, seek immediate medical attention. Contact your physician, go to an emergency room, or call 911.