hi im 17 and pregnant its hard coming to accept the fact ive got a tiny human growing inside of me. i dont believe in abortion or adoption but i want to keep the baby im scared at what my parents are going to say. how do i accept the fact im pregnant
Hi there,
Pregnancy can bring a lot of different emotions at the same time. It’s always important to confirm the pregnancy by taking a pregnancy test first and then think about what you want to do. Making a decision is not easy and it’s good to get as much help as possible.
You can buy a pregnancy test from a pharmacy, supermarket or local shop or have a free test at your doctors’ surgery, a family planning clinic or a brook clinic. If the test is positive you’ll need to see your doctor and they can offer you medical advice about the next steps.
Once your pregnancy is confirmed it’s important to get support whether you think you want to continue with the pregnancy or not. It can sometimes be a shock to find out that you’re pregnant and often it takes time to accept. Your beliefs can sometimes influence your decision about whether you want to continue with the pregnancy or have an abortion but there are lots of other things to think about like your education, money and support.
Remember, it’s your choice and it can help to talk to someone you trust. Try to choose someone who can help you to think in more detail about the right decision for you without telling you what they think you should do. If you’re worried about telling your parent or carer you could ask that person to help you to prepare what to say, to talk to them on your behalf or to help you write a letter if talking face to face is difficult for you.
There is support available to raise a child as a young parent but it will be a big change to your life. You should be able to continue with your education and you can speak to your school about what support is available. You should also get help with benefits and childcare if you’re a single parent If you want to know more about adoption or foster care, your doctor or social services can give you more information.
Your doctor can refer you to services that can help if you decide that you want an abortion. They will explain what is involved depending on how far pregnant you are, talk with you about how you’re feeling now and about how you might feel in the future. And they will also tell you what support is available. There is a time limit on when you can get an abortion though so you can’t wait too long before deciding.
Whatever you decide, our counsellors are here to support you.
Thank you for your letter, I hope this advice has helped.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
