Q. I am pregnant! What are my choices?

A. Making the right choices--loving choices--for you and your child can be difficult when dealing with all the emotional upheaval of an unplanned pregnancy. Your life and future plans have been turned upside down. Before making a decision, you might want to talk to someone concerning the options available to you.

• Parenting
  Many women facing an unplanned pregnancy assume they will raise the baby as a single parent. Some do successfully parent, but taking care of a growing child is a serious responsibility. Studies show that single parents and their children face tremendous challenges in education, employment opportunities, and emotional well-being.
  
  
• Marriage
  Marriage will not solve an unplanned pregnancy. Marriage works only if both partners are willing to commit their lives fully to each other and to work hard to establish a healthy relationship. Statistics show that when pregnancy is the primary reason for marriage, the failure rate can reach 90 percent during the first six years.
  
  
• Adoption
  Adoption can be a loving and responsible choice for many with an unplanned pregnancy. But adoption is often misunderstood. As a birth parent, you can develop an adoption plan that expresses your feelings of love and concern for your unborn child. Birth parents can give a wonderful gift to their child when, through adoption, they offer their child what they themselves cannot give.

Q. If I do consider adoption, how do I know my child will be well cared for?

A. Christian Family Life Services (CFLS) takes very seriously its role of screening the adoptive families we offer in terms of quality of marriage, psychological health, financial security, spiritual and social well-being, and overall ability to nourish and care for a child. Also, when you work with CFLS, you may select and meet the family you want to raise your child, and receive ongoing letters and pictures from them.

Q. How can adoption benefit me and my baby?

A. Adoption gives you the opportunity to offer your child a stable, secure home environment in a two-parent family. In addition, adoption allows you to go on with your life plans with the peace of knowing that you have made a responsible plan for your baby.

CFLS offers you free confidential counseling with experienced staff who are committed to the highest standard of professional integrity. We seek to give practical, caring, nonjudgmental support during this difficult time. CFLS also provides referrals for medical and financial concerns when needed.

Q. What are the characteristics of birth parents who release their child for adoption?

A. A profile is emerging of birth parents who are most likely to choose an adoption plan for their child. They are individuals who are highly motivated, objective, and care deeply for their child. They are people who are able to put their own feeling aside and focus on their child's lifelong needs. And most, at the right time, would be excellent parents themselves.