Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Missouri

Choosing Which Unplanned Pregnancy Path is Right for You

“What are my options if I’m pregnant in Missouri?” “I’m facing an unplanned pregnancy. What should I do?” You wouldn’t be the first woman to ask for unplanned pregnancy help in Missouri, nor will you be the last. We know that experiencing an unintended pregnancy is scary. But you don’t have to face it alone. We’ve collected information about all of the options for unplanned pregnancy in Missouri, so you can make a fully informed decision about what’s right for you, and then move forward with greater confidence.

You Have Three Pregnancy Options in MO

Below, we’ll cover some basic information about each option and list some resources and professionals who may be able to help you explore that option further. We’ll mostly compare costs and statistics, as well as some of the process of choosing each option, because the emotional and social factors involved with each option will vary from one person to the next. It’s up to you to conduct more research about the option (or options) that you’re considering, but we’ll help give you a jumping-off point to start finding unplanned pregnancy help in Missouri:

Parenting

Information About Parenting In 2017, 69% of children in the U.S. were living in two-parent homes. According to Custodial Mothers and Fathers and Their Child Support: 2015, a report released by the U.S Census Bureau every two years, there are an estimated 13.6 million single parents in the U.S., raising 22.4 million children. That encompasses 27 percent of children under 21 in the U.S. You can view the average number of hours that parents spend with their children and tending to their needs per day here. Costs of Parenting The cost of parenting is hard to estimate, as some children will have greater needs as they grow up. However, current research shows that a middle-income ($59,200-$107,400), two-child, married-couple family will spend $12,980 annually per child. That estimated amount doesn’t include the costs to have a baby as a result of an unplanned pregnancy in Missouri. Data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that it costs $10,800 to have a baby without complications, if you don’t have health insurance. If you do have health insurance, the average price of delivery (without any complications) in the U.S. is $4,300, according to a January, 2020 study by Health Affairs. That number doesn’t include prenatal health care. Parenting is the most costly of your options in Missouri. Resources and Professionals Who May Be Able to Help with this Option If you want to parent this baby, but you need help to do so, these unplanned pregnancy resources may be useful for you:

• Unplanned Pregnancy: How to Know If You’re Ready for a Baby
• Unplanned Pregnancy: Preparing for Baby 101
• Child Welfare Information Gateway Parenting Resources
• National Parent Helpline
• Childhelp Parenting Resources
• Center for Effective Parenting
• com
• United Way’s 211
• gov

Abortion

Information About Abortion If you’re considering abortion for an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy in Missouri, the first thing you’ll need to do is to make an appointment with your doctor. Abortion procedures are exclusively early pregnancy options — your doctor will need to assess how far along you are, so you can determine if abortion is still a viable option in your situation. Your doctor will also determine which type of abortion is possible in your situation, and whether or not it will be covered by your insurance, if you’re insured. A pregnancy can be medically terminated through several different ways, ranging from a pill to in-office procedures. Almost half of pregnancies in the U.S. are unintended. Four in 10 of those pregnancies are terminated by abortion. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 25% of pregnancies are terminated through abortion. You can find more statistics and information on abortion through the Guttmacher Institute and on the CDC’s website here. You can find information about the abortion laws in Missouri here. Costs of Abortion The cost of an abortion will vary depending on the stage of your pregnancy, the type of abortion, your location and health insurance coverage. Some medical providers offer these unplanned pregnancy services on a sliding scale, as 75% of abortion patients qualify as low-income. According to Planned Parenthood, abortions can cost anywhere from $0 to $950, but other sources have wider estimates around $500 to $2,000. Abortion is the second-costliest pregnancy option, after parenting. Resources and Professionals Who May Be Able to Help with this Option If you’re facing an unplanned pregnancy  in Missouri and thinking about choosing abortion, your doctor should be your first resource for information and help. However, these resources may also be useful:

• The Guttmacher Institute
• Planned Parenthood
• Unplanned Pregnancy: Pros & Cons of Abortion
• Unplanned Pregnancy: Abortion Laws in the U.S.
• Information about abortion laws in Missouri
• Our Bodies Ourselves
• All Options

Adoption

Information About Adoption Your final option for an unintended pregnancy in Missouri is adoption. Many women discredit this option because of the many myths and misconceptions surrounding it, but today’s adoptions are very different than they used to be. First, 95% of adoptions today are “open,” meaning the birth parents chose to have some amount of continuing contact with the baby and his or her parents. Studies on openness in adoptions reveal that open adoptions are the overwhelmingly preferred option for everyone involved, especially for the lifelong benefit of the child. The prospective birth parents remain in control of the decisions made in the adoption process, including the selection of the adoptive parents, the ability to get to know them before the adoption and after, determining a hospital plan and more. Prospective birth parents also maintain the right to change their mind about adoption at any point in the process until giving their consent. In Missouri, adoption laws state that a woman must wait at least 48 hours after giving birth before she may consent to an adoption. If you’re considering adoption for your unexpected pregnancy in Missouri, it is strongly encouraged that you contact an experienced, licensed adoption agency or professional. Working with a professional ensures that you and the baby remain protected and supported throughout the process. You can read more statistics on adoption here and here. Learn more about the process of placing a baby for adoption in Missouri here and here. Costs of Adoption It is always free to place a baby for adoption in Missouri, and throughout the U.S., making it the least-expensive pregnancy option. The adoption process is free for pregnant women and includes free access to:

• Pre- and post-natal health care and delivery services
• Legal counsel
• Adoption agency services
• And more

All pregnancy- and adoption-related expenses are covered for you by the adoption agency and the baby’s adoptive parents. You may also receive financial help in the form of living expenses, which help support the pregnant woman throughout her pregnancy and cover essentials like housing, health care, transportation, bills, groceries and more. There are also scholarships available for birth parents who wish to continue their education after adoption. Resources and Professionals Who May Be Able to Help with this Option Contact an adoption professional to learn more and to receive unplanned pregnancy support in Missouri, with no obligation to choose adoption. Or, if you’d like to read a bit more about potentially placing a baby for adoption in Missouri, these guides may be helpful:

• Unplanned Pregnancy: How to Give a Baby Up for Adoption
• Unplanned Pregnancy: Is Adoption Right for Me?
• Missouri adoption information and FAQ
• Find adoptive parents in Missouri
• Child Welfare Information Gateway’s guide for prospective birth parents

Finding a Pregnancy Crisis Center — Missouri Adoption Options

Through a crisis center, you can speak with an unplanned pregnancy counselor. It’s worth noting that most pregnancy crisis centers in Missouri will encourage adoption over the other two options, so they should not be your first point of contact if you’re looking for truly unbiased information regarding unwanted pregnancy options in Missouri. If, however, you’re interested in comparing pregnancy adoption options to parenting and/or abortion, they may be helpful in answering questions or in providing free unplanned pregnancy counseling in Missouri. Contact an unplanned pregnancy support line here. This unplanned pregnancy hotline connects you to a specialist who will walk you through all of your pregnancy options in Missouri and provide unbiased support to help you determine which is best for you.

This is YOUR Choice

To reiterate, you have three unplanned pregnancy options in Missouri. There is no “right” or “wrong” choice — there is only the choice that is right for you. All women who are experiencing an unintended pregnancy in Missouri deserve support, access to information and resources for unplanned pregnancy, as well as acceptance. And all women should be able to explore their options for pregnancy in Missouri freely, so that they can make the choice that they feel is best for them.