Some forms of sex, mainly those involving a vagina* and a penis*, can lead to pregnancy. Pregnancy is a period of approximately 9 months when a fertilized egg grows into a baby inside a person’s uterus. Pregnancy can be both planned and unplanned. If you have an unplanned pregnancy, you may be feeling a whole range of emotions! Know that you are not alone, and that many people have experienced an unplanned pregnancy in their lifetime.
*Note: penis and vagina are medical terms. However, many people may have penises and vaginas that don’t look like the medical terms described.
With any pregnancy, there are three options: parenting, adoption and abortion. Anyone who is pregnant has the right to choose the option that is best for them, and ideally, have access to non-judgemental information and support for whichever option they choose. It can be really helpful to talk to a health care professional, family, sexual partner or friends about your options. At the same time, it can also be very unhelpful to talk to some of the same people mentioned above if they are not supportive of your right to choose the option you feel is best for you.
Whomever you decide to tell, you don’t deserve to be judged or stressed, and to receive the support you need while making the right decision for you. You should ideally talk with a supportive health care professional about your options as soon as possible, particularly if you are considering an abortion. Abortion is a time limited option, and it can become more difficult to access the longer you wait.
If you prefer to talk to a health care organization, you can contact Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights (24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1- 888-642-2725 or on their website); they can talk to you about your different options and refer you to doctors, clinics and counsellors in your area.
For more information, check out:
Parenting
If you are pregnant, you can become a parent with or without a partner. This can be a difficult decision, especially if you are younger or if you are going to be a single parent. As a young person, it is often very hard to deal with life demands like school and judgements from others about young parents. These judgements can often get worse if you are racialized, cash poor or LGBTQ+. Know that there are many resources and community organizations that can help you through this decision and planning for your future. To get the help you need, you can start by looking for services and organizations in your area that support young parents.
Throughout your pregnancy, there are many things to consider. It is especially important to take care of yourself and your health.
For more information, check out:
Choosing to Become a Parent
Having a Healthy Pregnancy
Pre-natal Care Tips
Pregnancy Info
Adoption
If you are pregnant, you can choose to continue with the pregnancy and place the child for adoption. This means that the child will be raised in a family that does not include their biological parents (you). In Canada, there are a few different types of adoption (check out: Choosing Adoption), and they will vary based on where you live.
The most common are open and closed adoption. Open adoption is where the biological parent(s) can be known by the child and/or can have a relationship with the child. This kind of adoption is typically negotiated with the adoptive parent(s). Closed adoption is where the child does not know the identity of their biological parents. Family members can also sometimes be adoptive parents. Knowing all of your options will help you make the right decision for you.
For more information about adoption in Canada, check out: The Adoption Council of Canada.
Abortion
If you are pregnant, you can choose to have an abortion. Abortions are safe and legal in North America that ends the pregnancy. If you are considering an abortion, it is important to talk to a health care professional as soon as possible, because getting an abortion can become more difficult the longer you wait. Having an abortion is only a decision that you can make, and you should be able to make it without pressure or force from anyone around you.
In Canada, there are two types of abortion: medication and surgical. A medication abortion uses a combination of drugs to stop the pregnancy, which then causes the pregnancy tissue to be expelled from the uterus. A surgical abortion is a medical procedure where the pregnancy tissue is removed from the uterus. Having either form of abortion will not affect your future ability to become pregnant.
Access to abortion will vary based on where you live, and can vary from province and territory. When searching for abortion information online, be careful about the website you choose to visit. Some people have very strong moral disagreements with abortion, and have made sites with misinformation and graphic images meant to make people considering abortion feel guilty and triggered. We’ve shared some websites we think are safe and accurate below:
National Abortion Federation
National Abortion Federation: Abortion Coverage by Region
Abortion Clinics in Canada
For more information, check out: Caring for Yourself After an Abortion