Late-Term Abortion vs Making an Adoption Plan: What to Expect
If you are farther along in your pregnancy and unsure what to do next, you may be facing choices you never expected to consider.
Maybe your circumstances changed. Maybe support you were counting on fell through. Or perhaps you are past the point when the abortion pill is an option.
Now you may be wondering: What would a later abortion involve? What would it look like to make an adoption plan?
Both choices can involve physical and emotional challenges. Understanding what to expect may help you decide what is right for you.
Emotional Considerations
Every woman’s experience is different.
After an abortion, some women experience relief, sadness, regret, depression, grief, or a combination of emotions.
Adoption can also bring complicated emotions, including feelings of grief, regret, and loss.
Neither experience is emotionally simple, and having support before and after your decision is important.
Physical Considerations
Both continuing a pregnancy and having an abortion later in pregnancy involve physical recovery and risk.
Continuing the Pregnancy and Giving Birth
If you make an adoption plan, recovery varies depending on your pregnancy and delivery.
Postpartum recovery may include:
Vaginal bleeding and discharge
Cramping as the uterus shrinks
Soreness or pain
Breast tenderness or milk production
Fatigue
Hormonal changes
Your body will need time to recover after childbirth. Your doctor can go over what to expect with different delivery options and the risks and recovery for each.
Having a Surgical Abortion
If you have a procedural or surgical abortion later in pregnancy, the specific procedure and recovery can vary depending on how far along you are and other medical factors.
After a surgical abortion, you may experience:
Cramping
Vaginal bleeding or spotting
Soreness or discomfort
Fatigue
Physical recovery often occurs within a few days, although bleeding may continue for several weeks.
Your provider should explain the risks, what to expect afterward and when to seek urgent medical attention.
What Does an Adoption Plan Look Like?
Adoption is not simply handing your baby to another family.
Today, a woman making an adoption plan can participate in decisions such as choosing an adoptive family and deciding what level of contact she would like after the adoption.
Things to consider:
What kind of family do I want for my child?
Do I want an open adoption and ongoing contact or updates?
What will happen at the hospital?
What support is available before and after birth?
You do not need to have all the answers before reaching out.
You Still Have Options
If you are farther along, you may feel like your choices are narrowing or that you have to make a decision quickly.
You still deserve time, information, and support.
At Covenant Care Adoptions, we meet you where you are. You can talk with someone about what an adoption plan could look like in your situation without committing to adoption simply because you reached out.
Sometimes one conversation can help make your next step clearer.
Contact us to learn more about your options and what an adoption plan could look like for you.
Sources
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Questions and Answers on Mifepristone for Medical Termination of Pregnancy Through Ten Weeks Gestation
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Abortion – Procedure – Aftercare
Child Welfare Information Gateway, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Understanding Infant Adoption: Participant Guide
American Pregnancy Association, Postpartum Recovery
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Abortion Surveillance — United States, 2022
American Pregnancy Association, The Adoption Process for Birth Parents and Adoption Options
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