When you or a loved one is pregnant without wanting to be, you have many, many things to consider, including what your religious or spiritual beliefs tell you about your responsibility toward life. During this crisis you may question your previous beliefs, learn new things about faith, or affirm your spirituality. Although many religions have positions about abortion, most clergy realize that an unintended pregnancy involving young people is a very complex matter and they often show a great deal of compassion for all involved. Many parents and children tell us that they know that God is with them in choosing what is best for their situation. We encourage you to neither abandon your religion nor let it abandon you.

The following resources may be helpful as you explore the religious or spiritual aspects of this decision:

www.pregnancyoptions.info/pregnant.htm#12 The Pregnancy Options Workbook is a good resource for making a difficult decision about a pregnancy, with two special pages for parents and partners. It also has a Spiritual and Religious Concerns section that offer some perspective from different religions.

www.rcrc.org  and www.rcrc.org/programs/syrf.cfm  The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice is a comprehensive site with many thoughtful resources. It includes the Spiritual Youth for Reproductive Freedom (SYRF) section.

www.cath4choice.org The Catholics for a Free Choice represents Catholics of conscience who are advocating social justice on reproductive health issues. Their numerous publications are very helpful.

“Promoting Post Abortion Spiritual Health” by Rev. Rebecca Turner www.abortionconversation.com/conpiece.php is a discussion about what constitutes spiritual health during a pregnancy decision.

www.yourbackline.org Backline is a national talkline for people considering any aspect of a pregnancy decision, including spirituality. 1-888-493-0092