You are the person who has to live with your decision to place your child for adoption, become a teen parent or get an abortion. It’s important to make sure you get the support you need to make this important decision in a way that’s right for you.

It can help to talk to a trusted adult, parent or guardian during this process. A counselor or therapist can help too, to sort out your feelings and to help you make the best decision for you.

You can find a counselor in several ways:

• A family planning clinic, such as Planned Parenthood, (1-800) 230-PLAN.
• Health Department centers or Social Services.
• Mental health center or family service agency (search online for "Social Services;" "Family Social Services;" or "Family Counseling Services" in your area or zip code).

A counselor’s job is to help you sort out your feelings so you can make a decision that feels right for you. Even if the counselor has strong feelings about adoption, abortion or teen parenting, they should not try to influence your decision. If you ever feel like your counselor is biased or is not providing you with a balanced environment to sort out your feelings, please try to find another person to help you.

"Crisis pregnancy centers" offer misleading and medically inaccurate information about abortion in order to convince women to choose adoption. Check out staff writer Elizabeth Gyori’s story about crisis pregnancy centers to learn more about her experience.

Also, you can do some research on your own in general, or on Sex, Etc. and the through organizations listed in our links to learn more about each option (abortion, adoption, teen parenting) before you make a decision.