my girlfriend is pregnant at 15 and i just turned 17..what are my rights as the father of the child?
It all depends on what your girlfriend decides to do. If a pregnant young woman decides to have an abortion, she can make that decision without talking with her partner. In some states, if she decides to place her child for adoption, she will need the birth father’s permission. In most states if a young woman decides to parent her child, the birth father will have some economic responsibilities. If the couple does not marry, other responsibilities that the father might like to take on — child visitation, for example — can be decided through legal agreements. Your responsibilities depend on which state you live in. Since the laws vary from state to state, you should talk with a counselor or lawyer about the laws in your state.
Tags: pregnancy