Introduction

The shock of an unplanned pregnancy can leave you feeling lost and scared even if you are married and in a steady relationship. This is the time that you need support and advice from reliable sources such as discussing with your spouse, elders in the family or organizations that can provide counseling and guidance. The most important decision to be taken in such a case is whether you plan to continue with the pregnancy or want to go in for an abortion. Getting the correct advice is crucial at this stage as the effects of your decision can have long term effects including feelings of guilt and depression which can be the result of a wrongly taken decision.

Abortion

If you plan to terminate an unplanned pregnancy be sure that the decision is in favor of you and the baby to be born. The decision to have an abortion is not an easy decision. In UK an abortion is illegal unless it is performed under strict criteria and under the guidelines of the Abortion Act which is made to protect the welfare of the unborn child and the mother. The decision to go in for an abortion should be taken as early as possible to prevent injury to the fetus as well as the mother. It has to be done only up to 24 weeks of pregnancy except in rare cases where there is no legal time limit such as when there is risk to the life of the mother or the child would have a severe physical or mental disability. Abortion is a safe procedure when done by trained professionals and can be done by taking abortion pills or by suction. The psychological strain of an abortion can be great and can even last a lifetime. While taking such a decision be sure that this is what you want and not what others want you to do.

Going Ahead with the Pregnancy

Even if you had not planned the pregnancy you can make the decision of going ahead and having the baby as you can weigh the pros and cons of the decision beforehand. In the case of an unplanned pregnancy there would be many decisions to consider based on your own personal values and beliefs and those of others in your life. It is important to assess the support and help that you can get from your partner and relatives. You must also evaluate your financial condition, living circumstances and your own feelings about becoming a mother and parenting a child. Once you make the decision to continue with your pregnancy be happy about the decision and do not blame anybody or yourself at a later stage for taking the decision.