Do I Have to Tell My Partner I Want an Abortion?

No, you are not legally required to tell your partner that you want an abortion. However, honesty and communication are key to a healthy relationship if you plan on staying with your partner.

Below are the steps to take before seeking an abortion, plus ways to talk to your partner.

How to protect your health

Abortion comes with potentially serious risks to your physical and mental health. Before making any decision, an ultrasound can give you important information about your health, and we offer it free. This simple scan shows, among other things:

• Gestational age: Certain abortion options, like medical abortion (also known as the “abortion pill”), are only FDA-approved (opens in a new tab) up to 10 weeks (70 days) of pregnancy. If your pregnancy is further along and you take the abortion drugs, you’re more likely to experience a risk (opens in a new tab), like an incomplete abortion (this is when parts of the terminated pregnancy remain in your uterus, which can quickly lead to infection).
• Pregnancy location: Rarely, a pregnancy will develop outside the uterus. This is a life-threatening emergency known as ectopic pregnancy, and it requires immediate medical intervention.
• Pregnancy viability: Roughly 26% (opens in a new tab) of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, and it’s possible to experience one without immediate symptoms. If you’ve had a miscarriage, you will need medical follow-up to ensure you don’t have any complications.

At The Well Clinic, we offer free, limited ultrasounds because we believe you deserve to have all the information you need to make an informed decision.

How to talk to your partner

Even if you know the decision you want to make for your pregnancy, talking to your partner can be constructive and potentially open your eyes to possibilities you hadn’t considered.

If you aren’t sure how to bring up the topic, the following talking points can help:

• I’m considering [this pregnancy decision], and here’s why.
• How do you feel? What questions do you have?
• If we don’t agree, how can we move forward together?

Sometimes, talking with your partner in front of a neutral third party can help you both have a safe space to explore your feelings.

However, if you think that talking to your partner might put your safety at risk, it’s critical to not meet with them alone. Instead, you can opt to talk with them in a public setting, if you choose to speak with them at all.

You’re not alone

Navigating your pregnancy options can be difficult, but you’re not alone in this. Before seeking an abortion or making any other pregnancy decision, make an appointment to get the information you need to protect yourself. All appointments and services are free and confidential.

The Well Clinic does not perform or refer for abortions. We provide accurate information about every option so you can make an informed decision.