When you are facing an unplanned pregnancy, you may feel like the weight of the decision about what to do next is yours alone to carry.
Telling your partner you are considering an abortion may sound like one more conversation you do not have the energy for, especially if you are anticipating a fight. You may wonder if you can keep this part of your story to yourself.
Legally, you do not have to involve your partner in your pregnancy decision. Still, talking honestly with someone close to you can lift some of the emotional load and bring perspective you may not have considered yet.
If you have been putting off this conversation, the steps below can help you walk into it with more confidence. You can also reach out to Pregnancy Options at any time for help.
Talking with Your Partner
1. Put Your Safety First
Before anything else, ask yourself if you feel safe with your partner. If you fear how he may react to news about the pregnancy or your interest in abortion, do not meet alone.
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE to talk through a safety plan, and dial 911 if you are ever in immediate danger.
2. Sit with Your Own Thoughts First
Before opening up to your partner, take time to ask yourself why abortion feels like the right next step. Is it finances, fear of becoming a mother, or pressure from people around you?
Naming what is driving the decision helps you speak clearly when the conversation happens, and it may surface needs your partner can actually help meet.
3. Choose the Time and Place
Pick a quiet, private setting where you can talk without interruptions or an audience. Thinking through what you want to say ahead of time can keep you from backing out or losing your nerve mid-conversation.
4. Bring the Facts with You
Knowing the details of your pregnancy gives the conversation a solid footing. A limited obstetrical ultrasound confirms how far along you are, the location of the pregnancy, and whether it is viable, all of which affect what options are actually available to you.
5. Make Room for His Response
Even if you feel sure about your direction, give your partner space to share what he is thinking. He may surprise you with unexpected support or raise a concern worth weighing.
Listening is not the same as handing him the decision; it simply means hearing him out.
Pregnancy Options Is Here for You
Whether your partner walks beside you or not, you do not have to figure this out on your own.
Pregnancy Options offers no-cost, lab-quality pregnancy testing and on-site limited obstetrical ultrasounds at our Faribault center. Our caring staff will listen, answer your questions, and talk through your options in a non-judgmental space.
You were made to face hard things bravely.
Contact us today to schedule your free, confidential appointment.