Pregnancy advice
Many women faced with an unplanned pregnancy find it hard to make a decision about what to do. The information below will not make that decision for you, but might be useful in helping you seek advice and work out what to do.
Try not to put off making your decision. If you decide to continue the pregnancy, it is important to begin antenatal care early so you and your baby are healthy. If you decide on abortion, the earlier you obtain it, the easier and safer it will be.
If you have recently had unprotected sex, you might be pregnant. You may be able to reduce your risk of pregnancy by using emergency contraception. Emergency contraceptive pills must be started within 72 hours of unprotected sex. An emergency IUD (coil) can prevent pregnancy if fitted within five days of when you’d expect to ovulate.
If you think you are pregnant, your first step is to get a pregnancy test. You can buy home tests from any pharmacy or you may be able to obtain a free test from your GP, health centre or family planning clinic.
It may be helpful to talk to a school guidance or university counsellor. You might also get emergency contraception from your GP or from a family planning clinic;
make an appointment at the nearest sexual health clinic; or download a pamphlet on the Auckland Sexual Health Service.
So you are pregnant... what are your options?
If you are pregnant, you have some choices:
- Continue the pregnancy and parent the the baby
- Continue the pregnancy and place the baby for adoption
- Enter into a guardianship arrangement
- End the pregnancy by having an abortion
If you want to continue the pregnancy, you might seek help from organisations like the Bethany Centre. If you decide to end the pregnancy, two doctors will need to confirm you have legal grounds for an abortion.
You can also download a Ministry of Health booklet entitled Considering an Abortion: What are your Options?
Some questions to consider
- Do I want to be pregnant?
- Can I look after a baby?
- Is there a partner to help?
- How would having a baby help my life?
- What will I need to give up or postpone?
- How will other people react?
- How would abortion help?
- What are my values and what do I believe?
- Would I consider adoption?
Need more information?
There may be things you need to find out before you can make a decision. If so, you can get more facts from other organisations. Either telephone with your questions, or ask them to send you information. For information about abortion, adoption, antenatal care, childbirth and parenting, some suggested contacts are: your GP, your university health centre, or the local sexual health clinic. The Citizens' Advice Bureau and WINZ may also be worth consulting where there are financial support issues.
Adoption agencies and abortion services in your area may be listed in the Yellow Pages. If a pregnancy advisory bureau tells you that abortion is unsafe or immoral, it suggests that they are not interested in helping you make your own decision. FPA provides accurate information about abortion and non-judgemental counselling.
Top of page