What rights does the father have to an unborn child when getting divorced?

[Spspspsp]

I’m 19 and getting divorced from my husband who was very controlling and abusive. We seperated in February but my birth control ran out in the January. I never took a test because my husband would get very angry with me when I mentioned that I thought I was pregnant. Since then I’ve been trying to move on and am living with my current boyfriend but I’ve just started to consider the idea that I could still be pregnant with my husbands baby. I know I should take a test but I’m too scared because I know if I am pregnant that he would legally be considered the child’s father and I don’t want him to know the child exists. I can’t get the divorce finalised for at least another year. If I am pregnant would it be too late to get an abortion? Would I be able to give birth without my husband finding out or having access to the baby? Would I be able to put my boyfriends name on the birth certificate instead of my husband? I can’t face the thought of having this man in my life any longer as like I said he’s very controlling and abusive. He’s a drug addict and can be very scary when he’s on it which is most days.

I think the first step to take would be to take a test. I think it’s unlikely that you are pregnant as you should have had some symptoms by now if you were 4-5 months pregnant

You need to take a test and a break from relationships.

You would be 5+ months pregnant by now, likely have a bump and have missed out on a lot of prenatal care.
Do a test, go from there.

Sure.

You would know you were pregnant by now if your birth control ran out in January and you thought you would be pregnant by feb.

I mean, you would have a bump, and probably feeling queasy.

And oh yeah, your periods would have stopped

🤔

Well since it's June.......pretty sure you should know if you are pregnant or not by now?

And if you separated in February and aren't sure if it's your boyfriends then presume there was some overlap of some kind?

Would I be able to put my boyfriends name on the birth certificate instead of my husband?

And this would be so wrong on so many moral and legal levels

Would I be able to put my boyfriends name on the birth certificate instead of my husband?

I wouldn't put a new boyfriend on your child's birth certificate - recipe for disaster.

In any case, it sounds like you need to get your head out of the sand and find out if you are pregnant before deciding on next steps, as they're entirely dependent on that, aren't they?

@LonginesPrime

Would I be able to put my boyfriends name on the birth certificate instead of my husband?

I wouldn't put a new boyfriend on your child's birth certificate - recipe for disaster.

In any case, it sounds like you need to get your head out of the sand and find out if you are pregnant before deciding on next steps, as they're entirely dependent on that, aren't they?

This. Apart from anything else you barely know this new boyfriend. You can only be together a few months so launching into appointing him as father seems pretty unwise. He could be awful too.

Do what you like

I think before you think about anything, just find out if you are pregnant.

Everything else could be totally irrelevant if it turns out you’re not. I’d have thought at 5-6 months pregnant you’d have some pretty obvious signs.

Just take a test

If I am pregnant would it be too late to get an abortion?

You can get an abortion up to 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Would I be able to give birth without my husband finding out

Yes you can try

or having access to the baby?

You can try but if he finds out he can get a court to award access to the baby.

Would I be able to put my boyfriends name on the birth certificate instead of my husband?

That would be committing fraud. If the father finds out court can require a DNA test and have the certificate changed.

Welcome to mn.

Go and look at the rights of women website

rightsofwomen.org.uk/

They are professionals and can offer you free, impartial advice. I used to work as an Independent Sexual Violence advisor and used them a LOT. Unfortunately on this website you are going to get a lot of judgemental comments and also some bad advice that’s not true. It is better for you and potential to know your rights when it comes to family law.

Also, I would not put boyfriends name on birth certificate but equally, if you are frightened for your own and child’s welfare you don’t have to put his name on the birth certificate either. This makes it a LOT more difficult for him to apply for any access in the future. Definitely have a chat with someone on that website and I hope you can sort something out. Good luck x

Also a married father will have biological parental responsibility at the time of BIRTH, not at time of conception. It’s definitely worth getting advice around this.