The Father

You don't have to tell the father of your baby, but you should. If you are planning to keep the baby or give it up for adoption there are many legal reasons why you must tell him; he may be liable for child support or his consent may be needed to secure an adoption. On a moral level, you conceived the pregnancy together and should decide how to best deal with it together. If you have no fear of harm or other negative repercussions from the father then it is the right thing to do to tell him about the pregnancy.

If you are a father that wants to keep the baby but the mother doesn't - this can be a controversial and emotional topic. Your rights as a father vary depending on where you live in the world and the stage of the pregnancy. You should consult a family lawyer in your area for more information. If you go through a lawyer referral service you can get a visit with a lawyer for as little as $20. Look in your Yellow Pages for a lawyer referral service in your area. A Pro-Life pregnancy help line may be able to offer you some advice; you can find a Pro-Life hotline in your local Yellow Pages.