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Worried About How My Unexpected Pregnancy May Affect Friendships

If you’ve recently learned that you are unexpectedly pregnant, you probably have many questions about your options. Along with considering your pregnancy decision, you may be concerned about how your pregnancy may impact relationships with the people you hold dear.  How will your friends feel about your pregnancy? Do they have opinions on your options of abortion, adoption, and parenting? How might all of this change your relational dynamics?  Becoming aware of an unexpected pregnancy can often result in some complex and overwhelming emotions.  Whether you feel reasonably certain or totally perplexed about your next steps, the varied reactions of others may feed into your current feelings of confusion and anxiety.

Our expert staff at Avenue Women’s Center is available to provide truthful and accurate information about each of your options. We’re here to offer compassionate support as you navigate the relational challenges that an unexpected pregnancy can present.  We understand that relationships with partners and family members, as well as close friends, can both impact and be impacted by your unexpected pregnancy.  Our pregnancy consultants are here to offer a listening ear in a confidential setting. We’ll also provide any additional resources needed to help you manage those important connections through this life season.

Call, chat, email, or text for an appointment at one of our six Chicagoland locations today!

Dealing with Changing Dynamics

Many of us have experienced the changing dynamics that naturally happen throughout a friendship.  These occur whether or not one (or both) individuals experience a potentially life-altering event.  Relationships inevitably change as a result of time, experience, and personal growth. But we all share a need for a mutually healthy, emotionally intimate connection with others.  If you’ve invested in one or more trusting relationships like this, you may be questioning how an unexpected pregnancy might lead you down a different path than those of your friends.  Are you wondering, “How could they possibly understand what I’m going through?”  Maybe your friends are unaware of your pregnancy or avoiding the subject. This can make you feel disconnected and isolated in your feelings.  You’re probably eager to hold onto your friendships no matter what decisions are made in response to your pregnancy.  While this is a healthy desire, it may serve as a helpful reminder that relationships of every kind go through seasons of change. And friendships can adapt, even thrive, under your present circumstances.

Bolstering Your Support System

Every woman is unique, and so is her particular set of circumstances, including her relationships.  Whether and how to communicate with others about an unexpected pregnancy is each person’s individual choice.  For many women, sharing with a friend may feel risky. Opening up can be intimidating, even when the relationship is a trusting one.  Your friend may need to process her own feelings regarding your pregnancy, surrounding circumstances, and the next steps you choose to take.  She may appreciate time and space to identify and work through these feelings, and the acknowledgment that your relationship and her emotions are valued.  Seeking out a thoughtful and trustworthy peer can strengthen your support system.  By expressing emotions and engaging in a healthy dialogue, you may begin to move toward a calmer mental space. This may help you assess your emotional state and situation from a renewed perspective.  It is good to accept that friends’ reactions are beyond our control. And they may differ from our hopes and expectations.  However, it might also surprise you how opening up can bring you closer and show just how much your friends care.

Do you feel anxious about challenging decisions ahead related to your unexpected pregnancy? Are you wondering how your pregnancy journey may affect friendships and other relationships?  Avenue Women’s Center is here for you.  Our team members are available to provide accurate information, limited medical services, and compassionate support so that you are equipped to make an informed decision.

Reach out today to schedule an appointment at our Darien, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn / Lombard, Naperville, West Chicago, or Wood Dale, Illinois locations.

 

 

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.