Making a decision about your pregnancy options, including adoption and abortion.
If you’ve missed your monthly bleeding there is a chance you may be pregnant. The first step is to have a pregnancy test done. Once you know you are pregnant, you will need to make some decisions.
Home pregnancy tests can be purchased at a pharmacy. Pregnancy tests can also be done at your family doctor or walk-in clinic. For those who are under 25 years of age, you can get a test at one of our youth clinics.
What are my choices?
This is an important time to learn as much as you can about your choices. The earlier in pregnancy you are, the more choices you have.
- Decide to continue the pregnancy; support and raise the baby into adulthood. Find the health care provider right for you to join you on your pregnancy journey.
- Learn more about adoption; a choice to carry the baby to term but choose not to parent. In B.C., you have the choice to go through Ministry of Children and Families (MCFD) or a private adoption agency to guide you through the decision making process.
- Learn about abortion services, covered under the Medical Services Plan in B.C.; a choice to end a pregnancy early by medical or surgical intervention. If this is a choice you are considering, counselling is available. Abortions are safest when done early in pregnancy. Contact your family doctor or learn more about the clinic choices listed below.
Visit Options for Sexual Health: Making decisions about your pregnancy to review important questions to consider before you make your decision.
Emergency birth control (morning after pill)
If you have had unprotected sex in the last five days (120 hours) and do not wish to become pregnant, the "morning after pill" or emergency birth control is available over the counter at a pharmacy, at your family doctor, youth clinics (if you are under 25 years old) or Options for Sexual Health Clinic.
The sooner you take the emergency birth control the more effective it is.