How to Tell Your Parents You Are Pregnant

Learning about your teenage pregnancy might feel like your life has come to a full stop. There are likely many thoughts whirling around in your head, from what you need to do next to how to tell your parents you are pregnant. You are not alone.

When it comes to knowing what to say and how to tell your parents you are pregnant, you can call 1-800-ADOPTION to get free, unbiased support.

You can also reach out to us online to learn more about the different ways you can approach talking about your pregnancy.

How to Tell Your Parents You Are Pregnant [5 Tips]

When it comes to telling your parents you are pregnant, there’s no way to know how they will react.

If you’re figuring out how to tell your strict parents that you are pregnant, they could be stunned and angry, not wanting to talk about it further and deciding to stay out of it

Another scenario could be an empathetic, happy response, wanting to support you in whatever way you need if you are in your late teens and contemplating how to tell your parent you are pregnant at 18.

They may even be somewhere in the middle, asking you a lot of questions like what you want to do or who the father of the baby is if you have to decide how to tell your parents you are pregnant at 1.

There’s no way to know how they will react, so here are five ways you can take to talk to your family about your pregnancy.

Tip 1. Talk to an Adoption Specialist

You can get immediate support from an unbiased perspective by calling 1-800-ADOPTION. Although we are an adoption agency, our 24/7 pregnancy hotline is designed to give you the support you need.

It is not designed to push you toward one option or another for your pregnancy. That’s your choice to make.

Tip 2. Be Prepared for Questions About the Pregnancy

Talking to anyone, let alone your parents can be a stressful or nerve-wracking situation. If you need to figure out how to tell your parents you are pregnant at 16, then being ready to talk about their questions can help steer the conversation toward more positive outcomes.

Those questions are not limited to but could include:

When did you find out?
How long have you been sexually active?
Who’s the dad?
Did you use protection?
What are your plans now?

Tip 3. Tell Extended Friends or Family First

Speaking to someone on our 24/7 pregnancy hotline can give you insight and advice about how to have a conversation about your pregnancy with your family. If you have friends or family members that you know will be supportive, you an practice telling your parents, by telling them first. Extended family members who know your parents may be able to provide advice on how to approach your parents about you being pregnant.

Talk to friends and family members who you believe will support your decision no matter what it is. A strong support system is vital no matter how you choose to move forward with your pregnancy.
Go into the conversation with a blank slate of expectations.
If your pregnancy is a secret, consider only telling them that for now. Telling them about your plans moving forward may generate more of a response than you are ready for

Tip 4. Give Them Space to Process Their Emotions

Your pregnancy specialist can prepare you for different scenarios, both good and bad.

Some of their reactions may be hurtful but even though it’s your life and situation. Try not to take it personally, and remember that their reactions may be coming from a place of concern for you, or misplaced emotions of feeling responsible for your situation, The news is likely as surprising for them as it was for you, and they may need to time to process their emotions before being able to communicate effectively.

Tip 5. Know Your Options

Once you tell your family about your pregnancy, you can move forward knowing you’ve done what you wanted to do.

If you share the news with them and they react positively, they might be someone you want in your support system. If they react negatively, you can talk to them and explain the situation from your point of view. It might bring more understanding from their side of things.

Call 1-800-ADOPTION to speak to a pregnancy counselor or contact us online to get more free information about what you can do when it comes to how to tell your parents you are pregnant.

What to Do After Telling Your Parents You’re Pregnant [Your Options]

If you don’t know how to tell your parents you are pregnant at 16, 17 or 18 because you know what type of response you will get, you have options.

If you don’t want to parent or your parents won’t provide the support you need as a teenager to raise your baby, adoption is an option.

These five factors can help you determine what’s best for you:

Control and Accessibility as a Minor

Adoption with us puts you in charge of your journey. You’ll make all the decisions while your adoption specialist does the heavy lifting for you so you can focus on your pregnancy.

Adoption may be an option for you, even as a minor. The decisions you will make include:

Choosing the family for your baby
Your adoption plan that acts as the roadmap for your entire journey
Your hospital plan that acts as the roadmap for your hospital stay
How much contact do you want with the adoptive family
And more

When Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, it turned abortion rights back to the states. In Iowa, if you are under the age of 18, you must notify a parent or legal guardian to get an abortion and be 21 weeks, 6 days pregnant or less.

In 2023, Iowa passed HF 732 which was an abortion ban that started at around six weeks of pregnancy except in narrow, unworkable exceptions. As of this writing, a lawsuit was immediately filed and that law is temporarily blocked.

Adoption is Free to You

If you are a teen, the cost is likely a factor as you may or may not be financially independent.

Abortion can be anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on your insurance and how far along in your pregnancy you are.

Adoption is always free for you. Not only is adoption free for you but financial adoption support from the adoptive family can be used to cover all pregnancy and adoption-related expenses.

You Can Stay Connected to Your Child by Choosing Adoption

Adoption allows you to stay connected to your child in the months and years to come. Although closed adoptions used to be the industry norm, the majority of modern adoptions are now open to some extent.

Open adoption allows you to have as much, or as little, contact with your child and the adoptive family as you’d like. That contact can consist of:

Photos
Emails
Video calls
Texts
Calls
In-person visits
And more

The level of contact is ultimately up to you and whatever you are comfortable with.

A Future for You and Your Baby

“Giving up” your baby for adoption is often used when talking about adoption. But “giving up” is the last thing you’re doing.

Choosing adoption means:

Giving your baby the gift of a wonderful childhood
Giving adoptive parents who may otherwise have no opportunity to become parents
Giving yourself a better chance of moving forward from what may be a difficult time in your life

Adoption is a brave, selfless decision that puts the best interests of your baby first. It’s a loving decision to put their well-being before your own while giving them a world of opportunity.

Adoption isn’t for everyone but neither is abortion. At the end of the day, this is your decision and we are here for you whenever you need us. Whether that’s discussing your pregnancy options or getting the emotional support you need during this time.

Fill out our form to learn more about your choices and how to decide what’s best for you going forward. If you need support right now, call 1-800-ADOPTION.

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