The test is positive… what now?
In your hand you are holding a pregnancy test, which you bought secretly, so that no one would find out, or you asked a friend to buy it for you. You are home alone in your bathroom, or maybe in a friend’s, in the school restroom, or in your boyfriend’s apartment. You realize the test is positive. Welcome among one of the hundreds of teenage girls who get pregnant every year. Stop, calm down and take a deep breath! You know you have more options. You can choose to continue the pregnancy and keep your baby, or give it up for adoption, or you can terminate the pregnancy. No one can tell you which choice is best for you. You may immediately know what you want and what is best for you, or you will still need time to decide what you actually want.
If you are thinking about keeping the child, there are a few things you need to start thinking about right now. Those are:
Where will you live?
Will your parents provide support?
How will you support yourself?
Will you continue school, or will you take a class exam?
Will your boyfriend, the child’s father, provide assistance? If not, is it a relationship that you want your child to grow up in?
Do you have enough people around you to support you?
In the next nine months, and especially when the baby is born, you will need support. Do you have it in your family, around you, or will you have to look for it elsewhere: with a family doctor, school psychologist, pedagogue, gynaecologist, social worker? No matter what decision you make, you will need support, understanding and love. It is not an easy task to be responsible for a child with whom you are connected and whom you will love for the rest of your life. In the beginning, children ask for more than they give, but in the end – it is the most beautiful thing you will ever experience. Whenever you need love and understanding, you will find them in them. I hope these questions have focused your thinking and helped you make the right decision.
How will I know I am pregnant?
Pregnancy is characterized by the absence of menstruation, morning sickness, headache, fatigue, bloating, increased sensitivity to odours and food, frequent urination and scanty bleeding etc. These are signs of pregnancy, but they can also occur due to various diseases. If you think you are pregnant, you should definitely visit a gynaecologist.
Pregnancy test
Tests most reliably prove pregnancy, and more sensitive tests can confirm it as early as a few days after the absence of menstruation. You can perform the test yourself or in a gynaecological clinic. A gynaecologist will give you a sure answer!
Visiting a gynaecologist
After the gynaecological examination, the gynaecologist will, if necessary, perform other examinations and tests that would confirm or exclude pregnancy. The gynaecologist will provide you with answers to many questions that bother you and determine the approximate date of birth of your child
I found out I was pregnant
Every person is different and unique. This is why the following is important: when you get pregnant and try to make a decision about what to do – then first, re-examine yourself, try to hear your inner voice, which tells you your own desires, needs, expectations, hopes. Do not exclude your boyfriend – even if you are afraid of his rejection! Confront him with your now common problem, because it will help you get to know him better.
Where to start?
When you get pregnant as a minor, you are full of fear, despair, and panic. A conversation or honest and fair consultation with someone about possible solutions to the situation and decisions that would be best for you would come in handy. Such confidential conversation is usually absent and makes it difficult for you to think prudently.
Am I strong enough? Whom can I talk to?
No matter how difficult and hopeless the situation may seem to you, keep in mind that you are not the first and only one to have it happen. Many people around you, without even knowing it, have experience and expertise on how they can help you. Therefore, before making any decision about pregnancy, think and choose a confidential person with whom you will talk openly and honestly. It is best if that are your parents, but often we are most hesitant and afraid of reaction when it comes to them. It can also be your family doctor, gynaecologist from the health centre, your school psychologist, pedagogue, or social worker at the Social Welfare Centre. Talking to them will help you and make it easier for you to make the decision to think more properly about numerous valid solutions appropriate for the situation you found yourself in.