Pregnancy

Once a girl starts having periods this is a sign that she is able to get pregnant, regardless of how old she is. It is important to know that it is possible to get pregnant if sperm comes into contact with your vagina, and that you don’t have to be having unprotected sex for this to happen.

Myths

There are quite a few myths about the risks of getting pregnant. For example, some people think that you won’t get pregnant the first time you have sex or if you have sex standing up. Other myths including thinking that you cannot get pregnant if the boy pulls out before he comes or if you are on your period.

All of these are not true! It is possible to get pregnant any time you have unprotected sex, even when there is no ejaculation.

You can find out the facts about conception here.

Emergencies

If you have had unprotected sex, or your contraception has failed, there is a possibility you could get pregnant. If this was unplanned and was less than 5 days ago, then it is possible to get emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy.

Signs

For lots of women the first sign that they are pregnant is a missed period. However, if you have irregular periods it may be difficult to tell. Also, women can miss periods for other reasons, such as stress or weight changes. Other signs of pregnancy may be feeling sick, getting a ‘metallic’ taste in your mouth, sore breasts, feeling tired and an increased amount of vaginal discharge.

Testing

If you think you may be pregnant it is important to take a pregnancy test to find out for sure as soon as possible. This is because the sooner you find out, the more options you will have. You can get a free pregnancy test at GP surgeries, family planning and young person’s clinics. Alternatively you can buy home pregnancy test kits from a chemists.

It is recommended to take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after you have had unprotected sex, as this is usually how long it takes for the level of hormones the test looks for to be high enough to be detected.

A positive result

If you have had a positive pregnancy test result you might be unsure of what to do next, especially if the pregnancy was not planned.

You might want to take some time to look at your options. You could decide to have the baby yourself, give it up for adoption, or have an abortion. It might help to talk things through with a friend, family member or helpline advisor to clear things in your mind.

No matter what you decide to do it is important to see a doctor. If you are continuing with the pregnancy this is so you can arrange antenatal care, which is important both for your and your baby’s health. If you decide to have an abortion, it is better to get things in motion as soon as possible.

Support

Being pregnant can be a very exciting, but scary time, and you may have lots of questions and concerns. Having the support of your partner, family and friends can be helpful, and remember that there are various professionals, such as doctors, midwives, and counsellors who can answer questions and give you the space to talk about concerns.

Teenage parenthood

Becoming a parent is a big decision and will bring lots of changes to your life, and one of the biggest things is working out where you are going to live and how you are going to support yourself and your child.

Whilst there are some advantages to being a young mum or dad, there are disadvantages too, such as possible interruption to your education and having big responsibilities when your peers are gaining more freedom.

You might also meet with prejudice from other people because you are a young parent, but it is important to remember that having a child does not mean you do not have options, and there is a lot of support and help for young parents and their families.