This paper compares the consequences of placing versus parenting for y
oung women who experienced a non-marital teenage pregnancy. We examine
d whether placers were faring better, worse or no differently from par
enters four years after giving birth. The findings clearly indicate th
at relative to parenting, resolving a teenage pregnancy by relinquishi
ng one's infant for adoption is a positive choice resulting in more fa
vorable outcomes on a broad variety of sociodemographic and social psy
chological outcomes. At the bivariate level, on virtually every outcom
e except feelings about the pregnancy resolution decision, placers far
ed significantly better than parenters. When control was introduced fo
r sociodemographic background factors and several post-birth mediators
, the differences in sociodemographic outcomes and feelings about the
pregnancy resolution decision remained unchanged. However, the differe
nces between placers and parenters on virtually all of the remaining s
ocial psychological outcomes, were explained by their varying marital,
fertility and welfare experiences since the birth of the index child.