Pregnancy options
Parenting with a partner
If you choose to continue your pregnancy and raise a child, you may wish to do so with a partner. This person may be the father of your child or another individual who has become a significant part of your life. You can choose to parent with a partner whether or not you choose to get married, or even whether or not you choose to continue a romantic involvement. With or without marriage, a life partnership can succeed if both people:
- are deeply committed to making it work.
- understand what the other person expects from the relationship.
A child can bring joy and many other rewards to a relationship. However, a child can strain even the best relationship. If your commitment to each other and the child you are raising is not solid, your relationships may suffer or break down completely.
If you are considering parenting with a partner, here are some things to think about:
- Will I get what I want in life if I start a family now?
- Do I feel like I am being pushed towards marriage or a relationship because of the circumstances?
- Am I financially and emotionally ready to become a parent with this person?
- Do I get upset when I talk about committing to a long-term relationship? How does my partner respond when I talk about such a relationship?
- Do I know what I would expect of my partner as a parent?
- Will getting/being married make me feel less guilty about having had sex or becoming pregnant?
- What are my partner’s feeling about sharing the responsibility for child rearing, including everything that raising a child entails?
- Would we stay together even if I weren’t pregnant?
- Am I prepared to be a single parent if things don’t work out between us?
Think about what your answers mean to you. Consider discussing your answers with your partner, someone in your family, a friend, a trusted religious advisor, a healthcare provider, or a counselor.
Information last reviewed June 2009