Maternity Services
Facing an unplanned pregnancy can be a scary experience.
If you or your partner is facing a crisis because of an unplanned pregnancy, we would love to assist you. Please call Agape today to find out how we can help: Memphis: 1-800-727-5112 or 901-323-3600 or our offices in Jackson: 1-866-668-9698 or 731-668-9698.
We are here to educate you about your pregnancy options, offer you free pregnancy testing, answer your questions, and support you as you make difficult decisions regarding your future and that of your child.
Adoption as an Option
Whether or not you already know what is involved in the adoption process, we can work with you to help you develop a good understanding of the process, including your options and rights as the biological parent. We want to answer your questions and give you the counsel and support you need to get through this scary time. Here are some of your rights in the process:
You have the right to:
- be free from pressure or coercion.
- place your child for adoption through an adoption agency or private adoption.
- choose the parents who will adopt your child, know their names, religion, etc., and even meet them if you want to.
- review the adoptive parents’ Home Study Assessment.
- make a written open adoption agreement, which allows you to share pictures and letters and might allow you to see and talk to the child after the adoption. This is a moral agreement and cannot be enforced in all states.
- name your child on his or her first birth certificate. The name can be changed by the adoptive parents on the second birth certificate issued after the finalization of the adoption.
- be represented by your own attorney. In most cases, you also can refuse to be represented by an attorney.
- make a choice for counseling.
- financial help with certain reasonable and actual expenses.
- see or not see your child before you place him or her for adoption.
- change your mind about the adoption at any time before you sign a consent or surrender and complete the revocation period.
- receive a copy of the surrender form and any other forms you sign.
Please contact us if we can assist you by explaining adoption as an option and help you come to a decision about whether or not it is right for you. We assure you that you will receive non-judgmental, non-directive support and counseling from our staff.
Parenting
After considering each of your pregnancy options, if you decide that parenting is the best option for you, we will be happy to work with you in gathering resources that may be helpful to you as you parent your child. We will also help by making referrals for services that would help you in your parenting.
Support after Adoption for Birth Mothers
If you made an adoption plan and are looking to connect with other women who made the same decision we have an opportunity to do this. There is an informal group for women who placed a child for adoption that meets every month. Please contact Agape at 901-323-3600 for additional information.