I think I’m pregnant. I also had intercourse again about 3 days ago and I’m really scared. I can’t talk to my mom about it because she expects & thinks so highly of me. What can I do now?
I’m glad you wrote in to get some help. Figuring out if you’re pregnant is not easy, especially if you weren’t planning on it. You may be feeling worried and scared. These feelings are completely normal.
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.
So, the first thing you’ve got to do is to figure out whether you’re pregnant, or not. You can do this a couple different ways:
1.Home pregnancy test – they’re 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. So I would recommend:
2.Seeing your local doctor or go to a family planning clinic. Your doctor, or the staff at a family planning clinic like Planned Parenthood 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 contraception.
Talk with your mom. However the results come out, I would seriously consider talking to your mom, or finding another trusted adult to talk to, like a nurse, counselor, or teacher.
If you are pregnant you’re going to need support while figuring out how you want to move forward. And, if you’re not, you’re still going to want support in figuring out the best way to take care of your health, like discussing STD testing and contraception. You can find tips for talking to your parents about sex at Planned Parenthood, or at I Wanna Know!.
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.
I’ll be thinking about you and sending you good thoughts.
Love,
Auntie Manda
