Before you psych yourself out, the first thing you need to do (if you haven’t already) is to find out if you really are pregnant or not. Don’t assume you are a pregnant teen just because you missed your period. The only way to do this accurately is to take a pregnancy test.
You’ll want to wait until after you miss your period or have abnormally short or light bleeding to take either a blood or urine pregnancy test. You can purchase a urine test at your local pharmacy or retail store, or come to our office for a free one. Blood tests must be done at a clinic or by your doctor.
After you have a positive pregnancy test, your next step is to make sure the pregnancy is viable (possible to carry to term) and not an ectopic pregnancy or a probable miscarriage. You can do this with an ultrasound. If you don’t have a doctor of your own, we can refer you to a doctor who will provide a free ultrasound.
Once you know for sure that you’re pregnant – and that it’s a viable pregnancy – you have some decisions to make. Don’t panic – and don’t rush into something just to “get it over with!” Take the time you need to make a good, informed decision. We can help you sort it all out!
Our next Blog will talk about what to do if you have a negative test…