First off, take a deep breath! Unplanned pregnancy among teens – while probably not what you were hoping for – is common. There are several different ways you can move forward while doing what is best for your daughter and her baby.
Verify the pregnancy and establish prenatal health care
If you have insurance, set up an appointment with an OB/GYN in your area.
If you don’t have insurance, she will still be able to receive prenatal health care. First, she’ll need to be able to provide proof of pregnancy. Many of the Texas clinics and pregnancy resource centers offering free pregnancy tests can provide this, but check with them before you go. Then you can help her apply for Texas Pregnancy Medicaid, which will cover the cost of prenatal doctor visits as well as hospital labor and delivery costs.
Set up a plan for continuing her education
In Texas, Title IX laws prevent schools from discriminating against pregnant or parenting students. Your child has the right to continue her education and participate in her regular activities, like clubs and sports.
All school districts in Texas are required to offer Compensatory Education Home Instruction (CEHI) for pregnant students. This program is designed to help students complete their education by making special accommodations during the pregnancy and postpartum periods. Many schools offer additional pregnancy-related services. These can include counseling, case management and assistance connecting with local resources, like shelters or food banks.
Some of the larger school districts in Texas, like Dallas ISD and Houston ISD, have programs for pregnant and parenting students that go beyond academics. These can include parenting skill classes, child care and job training. Check with your daughter’s school district to learn more about their specific pregnancy support programs.
Explore her options
Current laws in Texas mean that your daughter will have two options: parenting or adoption.
Start by discussing what she wants. She may not want to be a parent right now, and thinks adoption is best for her. However, many pregnant teens aren’t sure what they want to do. By exploring both parenting and adoption, she can make an informed decision that’s right for both her and her baby.
Adoption Advocates can help her weigh her options as well. Our primary role is to explain open adoption and support her through the adoption process. But we also work with women to create a parenting plan. That way she can see both options and know that she has choices. We can also refer her to resources that may be able to help with things like food, baby supplies and child care. Sometimes that extra bit of support is all she needs to be able to parent, if that’s what she wants.
Let her make the decision
Providing support and helping her explore options is important. However, it’s important to remember that the decision is ultimately hers, and hers alone. In Texas, pregnant minors are able to consent to hospital, medical, or surgical treatment for anything relating to the pregnancy, except for abortion. She also has the right to relinquish her child and consent to adoption.
Are you a pregnant teen that doesn’t have family support?
That does not mean adoption is your only option. If you want to parent, there are resources that can help you. These include maternity homes, shelters, school programs and more. Your school counselor or social worker may be able to help you connect with resources locally. You can also try searching by your zip code on FindHelp.org.
However, if you want to explore open adoption for your baby, we’re here to help. You can get in touch with Adoption Advocates by calling (512) 477-1122, texting (512) 270-8415 or completing our online form.
