What are My Unplanned Pregnancy Options in Texas Now with the New Fetal Heartbeats Bill?

Do you find yourself experiencing an unplanned pregnancy in Texas? Don’t be alarmed. There are a plethora of organizations ready to help you make the best decision for you and your unborn child. Pregnancy can be scary, and we are here to make it less so. You might be wondering, What are my unplanned pregnancy options now with this new Texas bill?

Here at Adoption Choices of Texas, we want you to know you still have options— parenting or adoption. 

If you need help with adoption now, you can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here.

What is the Heartbeat Bill, and How Can it Affect You?

Senate Bill 8, or the Texas Heartbeat Act, prohibits abortions after six weeks. This is problematic because women usually find out that they are pregnant around the six-week mark, and this is also when the embryo’s heartbeat is detected. What makes Texas’s Heartbeat Bill different from comparable legislation either enacted or attempted to be enacted in other states is that this bill allows members of the public to sue abortion providers and anyone who assists a woman in getting an abortion. This can include Lyft and Uber drivers, friends, and family members, with a minimum fine of $10,000. 

First, you have to be proactive in finding out whether or not you’re pregnant. Accidents and unprotected sex happen, and it is best to know sooner rather than later if you are indeed pregnant. Because the Heartbeat Bill bans pregnancy termination after six weeks, your options are limited but not completely finite. If you are pregnant, Adoption Choices of Texas is here to help.

Your Next Steps When Experiencing an Unplanned Pregnancy in Texas

Adoption Choices of Texas recommends that you secure adequate medical care for you and your unborn child. Next, ask yourself some questions, like: 

• Am I ready for all of the changes in pregnancy?
• Am I financially stable enough to raise a child?
• Do I have a job with adequate benefits, including vision, dental, and medical insurance?
• Can I afford to send my child to college?
• Do I have a willing and supportive partner? Will my family be a source of support during this time?
• Am I at a point in my life where I can parent?
• Am I open to the possibility of adoption?

Questions similar to these can be found on the Adoption Choices of Texas website and can assist you with making the best decision for you and your child. 

Unplanned Pregnancy Options, The Decision to Parent or to Place Your Baby for Adoption

If you can answer any of these questions in the affirmative and have adequate financial and emotional support, choosing to parent your baby might be your best option, but parenting, depending on your circumstances, may not be the best option for you, and that’s ok. Adoption is still a great choice for your baby.

The Adoption Process in Texas

Depending on the type of relationship you wish to have with your child, there are multiple types of adoption you can choose from. These types of adoption include open, semi-open, and closed adoptions.

During an open adoption, both the adoptive parents and birth mother’s contact information are shared. Each party then decides on the type of communication you want and how often. You may only want periodic updates about the child with no physical contact, or you and the adoptive parents may be comfortable with your becoming an additional member of the family. This type of arrangement that is established is up to both of you. 

Semi-open adoption allows the birth mother to choose who the adoptive parents will be. After the birth of the child, there is no communication between you and the adoptive parents.

Closed adoptions involve no contact between the birth mother and the adoptive parents. You won’t have any say in who adopts the child, and the only information disseminated about you will be your medical history. A closed adoption may be the option for you if you desire no contact whatsoever with the child. 

After choosing the type of adoption you are most comfortable with, we will create an adoption plan that is unique to you. If you choose an open or semi-open adoption, we will present you with prospective adoptive parent profiles, and you will be able to choose which family most suits you and your child. As mentioned previously, you won’t have this option in a closed adoption. Furthermore, we will help you with your birthing plan—who you want in the room with you and how you want your birthing experience to go. We also help with the legalities of adoption, so you don’t have to worry about any aspect of this process not being accomplished.

Adoption Choices of Texas facilitates the entire adoption in San Antonio, Dallas, Huston, and Austin from start to finish, and will ensure that you have access to counseling, medical care, financial assistance, and a safe place to stay during and after your pregnancy. Our private adoption agencies provide adoption counselors that can help you with food, rent, and other necessities/expenses during your pregnancy. Our intention is to eliminate external stressors, so you can focus on your health and the healthy development of your baby. 

Making the Best Decision for You and Your Baby

Though the Texas Heartbeat Bill limits your choices, it doesn’t completely eliminate the many options you do have. We’re here to aid you in making the best decision for you and your baby at Adoption Choices of Texas. Whether you choose to place your baby for adoption, we can assist you in making a decision that you’re comfortable with. 

As an expectant woman or birth parent, to learn more about adoption, contact Adoption Choices of Texas. You can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here. If you are hoping to adopt, please visit us here. We look forward to helping you through your adoption journey!

Adoption Choices of Texas es la única agencia de adopción con servicios completamente en esapñol en el estado de Texas. Si está embarazada y necesita ayuda, llámenos o envíenos un mensaje de texto y uno de nuestros especialistas en adopción podrá ayudarlo. Para obtener más información sobre el proceso de adopción como una mujer embarazada o una madre biológica, comuníquese con Adoption Choices of Texas. Para español llamar: 888-510-5029

Meet the Author: Rayna Batiste is an alumna of the University of West Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. Having graduated with honors, she hopes to attend graduate school at New York University, majoring in Journalism. Rayna is also a United States Air Force veteran who enjoys watching documentaries about pretty much any subject, learning, and spending quality time with her family and friends. She is also a fitness enthusiast and an avid Peloton user.
Her hobbies include brunch (yes, brunch is a hobby), fashion, makeup, and of course, reading and writing. Rayna has a real passion for the written word and correct grammar and syntax. She enjoys manipulating sentence structure and experimenting with punctuation in her writing. She’s what you would call a “werd nerd.” She was also recently featured at the Pensacola Museum of Art for her work, entitled Triangular Geometry.