Dear Auntie, I haven’t had sex for almost 3 weeks now and I’ve been having symptoms like nausea, white discharge, mood swings, cramps, and cravings. Can I be pregnant?
Hey there. I’m so glad that you wrote in.
You mentioned some symptoms worth checking out. When you’re pregnant the following things might happen:
● You miss a period;
● You’re tired and don’t have much energy;
● You might vomit;
● You need to urinate more than usual;
● You have tender or swollen breasts.
If you have one or more of these symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. There might be other reasons why you are experiencing these symptoms.
The first thing I would recommend is to check to see if you’re pregnant. You can do this a couple ways:
-
- Home pregnancy tests – are available at most drug stores and pharmacies. Most home pregnancy tests work 99 out of 100 times if used after a missed period. They can be less effective if you take the pregnancy test too early, if you do not use it correctly, or if the expiration date on the pregnancy test has passed. Home pregnancy tests are pretty accurate if you follow instructions carefully, but you should have a test done at a health clinic to confirm your results
- Seeing your local doctor or go to a family planning clinic. Your doctor, or the staff at a tribal clinic will be able to let you know if you’re pregnant. These professionals will also be able to talk to you about the best ways to look after yourself during the pregnancy. If you are pregnant and you’re unsure about what to do, they might also be helpful people to talk to about your options. And if you’re not pregnant they can help with STD testing and picking out a birth control option that will work best for you.
Taking the step to test if you’re pregnant might be scary. But knowing if you are pregnant will allow you to move forward in deciding what to do next.
You can also check out We R Native’s website to learn more about pregnancy.
Thanks for writing in and best of luck.
Love,
Auntie Manda
