I won’t begin to try to tell you how you must be feeling right now, because I am sure that is the last thing you want to hear. But what I will do is remind you of how strong you are. If you are in a crisis right now because you just found out you are pregnant, take a breath. All is well and you will get through this. No one can blame you for being scared or angry, or whatever, especially if this is an unplanned pregnancy. But before you decide on which steps to take next, consider this: there are worse situations you can be in. Think about it: you are alive, in front of a computer or smartphone, clothed, and you have resources available to you. How many women around the world can say the same about themselves?

Now, think about the history of women in our country and around the world.  You have come a long way and overcome so many obstacles during times when women were expected to remain silent. Think about the women in your life who beat the odds and succeeded when no one else believed in them.  Having a baby will not prevent you from reaching your goals. You have nine months to continue going to school, working on your career, or whatever else you are striving towards. Having an abortion, if you think about it, is telling yourself and the world that you are not strong enough to have a baby AND reach your goals. My sister was pregnant during law school and still graduated at the top of her class and passed the bar exam with flying colors. You can be pregnant and fulfill your dreams, too.

Now, maybe you are not ready to have a child regardless, or you got pregnant under less than desirable circumstances. I urge you to consider carrying your baby to full term and giving a family the chance to adopt your baby. There are countless couples in the world who are unable to conceive and would give anything to adopt your child. Please take them into consideration because they will be there to help you along the way. You are not alone in this pregnancy and you are STRONG enough to get through this.