When you’re pregnant in Texas, it’s not just like everywhere else. For starters, if you’re pregnant in Texas, you’ve got more ob-gyns (and adoption agencies) to choose from here than in anywhere else in the nation.
Whether you’re in San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, Laredo, McAllen, Longview, Tyler, Texarkana, El Paso, Killeen, Temple, Brownsville, Midland, Odessa, Wichita Falls or Waco, we’ve got more hospitals and clinics than any other state in America, of course. (The same does not apply to abortion resources, however. Texas has sharply restricted abortion access. This means that while minors choosing adoption don’t need parental consent, minors opting for abortion do.)
Ever wanted to know what your pregnancy rights are in a Texas workplace? Texas does prohibit pregnancy discrimination, and you can learn more about it at this link. (Note: Texas does not have a FMLA-style law, though, so if you’re pregnant in Texas, only the federal standards apply here.)
In Texas, there’s even a requirement that every guy who hooks up here is supposed to voluntarily register with the State Paternity Registry, just in case a pregnancy might result. (Seriously, we’re not kidding. There aren’t a lot of guys who follow these rules, but it actually is A Thing in these parts… more about that, later.)
Texas Pregnancy Resources
In Texas, if you need to apply for Medicaid or SNAP or TANF or WIC, you can easily find that information online right here.
Pregnant women who are in an abusive relationship and need a protective or restraining order can click here to find out how to get safe.
If you need to find a reliable Texas adoption agency that can provide free options counseling, pregnancy housing and adoption services for parents placing babies, toddlers or sibling groups, call
Abrazo anytime day or night (1-800-454-5683) or check out this link to get started.
Need help seeking (or straightening out) child support in Texas? You can get started online, right here.
Mentalhealthtx.org is a great resource if you need counseling or rehab services in Texas and you’re not quite sure where to turn. Or if you need a list of homeless shelters for any of the major cities in Texas, start here.
Unplanned Pregnancy in Texas
For those who are curious about the statistics of Texas unplanned pregnancies, this handout may be helpful.
Unplanned pregnancy is a big problem in Texas, where in 2010, more than half of all pregnancies were reportedly unintended, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The Dallas News reported a couple years ago that Texas leads the nation in repeat teen pregnancies. Of even greater concern, however, is the fact that while the birth rate in Texas is dropping, maternal mortality (the risks of mothers dying due to pregnancy or childbirth complications) is still on the rise here, according to the HEALTHY TEXAS MOTHERS & BABIES DATA BOOK.
Mothers in Texas can only list a father on their baby’s birth certificate if he’s married to her, or if she’s unmarried and he’s at the hospital to sign the birth certificate application. Oh, and if you’re needing to order a Texas birth certificate, be forewarned: the Texas Bureau of Vital Statistics is wayyyy backed up, so it may take months. (For real.)
Unfortunately, Texas Child Protective Services has had a very spotty record, and has actually been fined by a federal judge for failure to comply with court orders. The moral of this story is to do everything you can to keep your child out of state care (and if adoption is your only alternative, please choose Abrazo and call us before CPS can get their clutches on your kids.)
Placing a Child for Adoption in Texas?
In Texas, there is no cost nor fees to place your baby or child for adoption through a licensed adoption agency like Abrazo. Our services are all free to placing parents.
Unmarried mothers in Texas whose babies were fathered by men who were unknown to them or have failed to legitimate the unborn child or register with the Voluntary Paternity Registry are generally able to place children for adoption at Abrazo without the alleged father’s consent– with court approval.
The majority of mothers who contact Abrazo to make adoption plans for their unborn babies or already born children are typically single mothers aged 19-35, although a quarter are first-time moms and a quarter are married couples. Most have either a high school and/or college education. Many of the mothers with whom Abrazo works tend to be Catholic; most are Anglo and/or Hispanic; and a growing number this year also identify themselves as being bi-sexual.
Under the law in Texas, Abrazo can provide expectant mothers with needed assistance such as housing, groceries, clothing, utilities, transportation, medical care, counseling and more, if needed. (Mothers in Texas who begin adoption plans but do not complete them are not obligated to repay the support and cannot be prosecuted if they were forthright about their change of heart.) Birthmothers who do place do so knowing their relinquishment decision is final when signed properly under oath before a notary and two witnesses. (And of course, all adoption consumers need to be aware that in Texas, open adoption agreements are voluntary and are not legally-enforceable for that reason.)
Abrazo has been doing safe, ethical and compassionate open adoptions in Texas since 1994. (After all, that’s why we’re known for being the “best ‘lil adoption agency in Texas.”) And as one of Texas’ best adoption agencies, Abrazo provides free consults upon request, so if you’re pregnant in Texas and in need of support, just know we’re here to help, anytime.
