One in three American women will have an abortion by age 45, according to the National Abortion Federation. But that doesn't mean making that choice is ever easy. "I've never met anyone who took the decision lightly," says Mitchell Creinin, MD, director of family planning at the University of Pittsburgh. If you're one of the three million American women who are faced with an unplanned pregnancy each year and are contemplating having an abortion, you need to be as well informed as possible so you can make the best decision for yourself.

Confide in a trusted friend
Talking to a supportive and nonjudgmental friend, relative or counselor can be comforting during this stressful time. It can also help you sort out your feelings and pinpoint which option ‑- abortion, parenthood or adoption ‑- is right for your situation. You can get a referral for a counselor from Planned Parenthood (800-230-PLAN and PlannedParenthood.org) and the National Abortion Federation (800-772-9100 and ProChoice.org).

"Talk to someone you trust who won't tell you what to do, since they don't live with your decision," suggests Ava Torre-Bueno, an after-abortion counselor in San Diego and author of Peace after Abortion. "You need to figure it out for yourself ‑- what is the right decision for you now and in the long term. This is a heart-and-head decision, meaning you have to be rational, but you also have to listen to your feelings."

When Kimberly, 27, found out that she was pregnant last September despite being on birth control pills, she researched all of her options online and went to the iVillage message board on abortion to get more details as well as some much-needed support. "I wanted as much information as possible, because I didn't want to go back and say, 'I didn't know' or 'I wish I would have known,'" she says. "I didn't want to regret anything."