I’m Pregnant and Don’t Know What to Do: Your Pennsylvania Options [2025]
A positive pregnancy test at the wrong moment can feel like the ground just disappeared beneath you and you no longer know which way is up.
Whatever decision you make will be yours—no one else has to live with it. And if you need someone to talk to, there are unplanned pregnancy specialists available 24/7.
Get free pregnancy support in Pennsylvania when you call 1-800-ADOPTION, or fill out this form and get connected with an adoption specialist who is trained in unplanned pregnancy options.
I’m Pregnant and Don’t Know What to Do—Start Here
If you’re feeling uncertain about your pregnancy, that is ok. Unplanned pregnancies or changing circumstances during pregnancy can mean that your plans are suddenly up in the air.
The good news is that help is available. You are never alone, and there are always options, even if your path seems unclear right now.
Understanding all your options for unplanned pregnancy matters before you decide anything.
First Step: Confirm Your Pregnancy Medically
Home tests can show false positives or negatives, and they can’t tell you how far along you are. A medical-grade pregnancy test and ultrasound give you concrete information, which matters for understanding your timeline and options.
Many Pennsylvania pregnancy centers offer free testing and ultrasounds:
- Choices Pregnancy Services (Pittsburgh, Monaca, Moon Township)
- Align Pregnancy Services (Lancaster) – Multiple locations
- A Woman’s Concern (Lancaster)
- AlphaCare (West Philadelphia)
- Community Women’s Centers (Philadelphia)
- Hope Pregnancy Center (Philadelphia)
Understanding Your Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Pennsylvania
If you got pregnant by accident, you have three main options in Pennsylvania:
- Parenting – Raising the child yourself
- Abortion – Ending the pregnancy through medication or a procedure
- Adoption – Carrying to term and creating an adoption plan
Each path is legal. The right choice depends on your circumstances, values, and what you can realistically handle.
What to Know About Parenting After an Unplanned Pregnancy
Parenting changes everything: your schedule, relationships, career, where you live, how you spend money. Think honestly about whether you have stable housing, a way to cover costs, a support system, and emotional capacity for a completely dependent human being.
Pennsylvania resources if you want to parent:
- Medicaid – Coverage for pregnancy medical care, birth, and post-partum
- WIC – Food vouchers, nutrition education, breastfeeding support. Call 1-800-942-9467
- SNAP – Food assistance
- TANF – Cash assistance for families
- Childcare subsidies
Is Abortion Legal in Pennsylvania? Here’s What You Need to Know
Abortion is legal in Pennsylvania through 23 weeks of pregnancy. After that, abortion is only allowed to prevent death or substantial irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.
Pennsylvania requires:
- 24-hour waiting period after counseling
- Parental consent if under 18 (unless judicial bypass)
- Pre-procedure lab testing
Medication abortion (pills) available up to 10 weeks. In-clinic procedures also available.
The earlier you are, the more options and lower cost. Confirming how far along through ultrasound is critical.
Considering Adoption? What It Really Means
Considering adoption means that you taking parenting seriously and you want to choose what’s best for your baby, even if it means grief or sacrifice.
Some women consider adoption because they’re not in a position to parent right now. Others want their baby to have opportunities they can’t currently provide. Modern adoption gives you far more control than you might think.
How Adoption Supports Pregnant Women in Pennsylvania
- Financial support – Adoptive families can legally cover pregnancy expenses like counseling, living costs
- 24/7 counseling – Professional support at no cost
- You choose the family – Review profiles and select who raises your child
- Open adoption options – Arrange ongoing contact through photos, letters, or visits
- Post-adoption support – Counseling continues as long as you need
Resources for Adoption in Pennsylvania
- American Adoptions – 1-800-236-7846 or AmericanAdoptions.com
- ConsideringAdoption.com
- AdoptionAgencies.com
Not Sure What to Do? Here’s How to Make the Right Decision for You
Ask yourself:
About your situation:
- Where are you living? Is it stable for a baby?
- Can you continue work or school?
- Who would actually help—not just say they would?
About your values:
- How do YOU feel about abortion? Not what you’ve been told—what you believe.
- Does this pregnancy fit your vision for your future, or derail it?
- If you could be anywhere right now, where would that be?
Every option comes with difficulty. The question is which you can handle and live with long-term.
Talk to Someone You Can Trust—Unplanned Pregnancy Counseling in Pennsylvania
Counselors help you sort through what you’re dealing with without pressure toward any choice. Their job is helping you figure out what YOU want.
- American Adoptions: 1-800-236-7846 – Free 24/7 counseling about all options
- All Options Talk Line – 1-888-493-0092 (Free, limited hours)
Resources for Unplanned Pregnancies in Pennsylvania
Medical care:
- Medicaid – Coverage for pregnancy medical care, birth, and post-partum
- Choices Pregnancy Services (Pittsburgh, Monaca, Moon Township)
- Align Pregnancy Services (Lancaster) – Multiple locations
- A Woman’s Concern (Lancaster)
- AlphaCare (West Philadelphia)
- Community Women’s Centers (Philadelphia)
- Hope Pregnancy Center (Philadelphia)
Financial help:
- WIC – Food vouchers, nutrition education, breastfeeding support.
- SNAP – Food assistance
- Housing Assistance
- Pennsylvania 211
You Deserve Support—Here’s Where to Start
Confirm you’re pregnant and find out how far along. Then give yourself permission to think clearly about what comes next.
Whether you parent, have an abortion, or make an adoption plan, there’s support in Pennsylvania.
Contact American Adoptions at 1-800-236-7846 for free pregnancy counseling. No pressure—just someone who will listen.