Call 0800 1111
Pregnancy
Lots of girls worry they might be pregnant, or what to do if they are pregnant. But we're here to help. Find out how to check if you're pregnant, what your options are, and what to do if your girlfriend is pregnant.
how to test if you're pregnant
If a woman and man have sex, or are sexually intimate with each other, without using contraception, the woman could get pregnant. Women can also become pregnant if contraception fails. For example, if a condom splits.
This can happen at any age after a young woman has reached puberty. Very rarely, it may happen just before your first period.
A woman may also become pregnant if they've been raped or sexually abused.
If you've had sex without contraception, or the contraception has failed, it's important to take a pregnancy test as soon as possible.
3 ways to find out if you're definitely pregnant:
- get a pregnancy test - you can get a free test at sexual health clinics, like Brook, or buy them from the supermarket or a pharmacy to test at home
- visit your GP – you can go without a parent or carer if you're over 16
- speak to your school nurse.
If you're pregnant, there's advice and support available. You're not alone.
signs you might be pregnant
It's important to know that some symptoms may be caused by medication, stress, weight changes or doing lots of exercise.
Signs you might be pregnant include:
- missing a period
- your breasts feeling sore and tender
- feeling sick or having an upset stomach, called "morning sickness"
- a small amount of bleeding from your vagina, called "spotting" around the time of your period
- feeling really good to suddenly really bad, called "mood swings". Mood swings can happen around your period, but pregnancy can make them worse
- feeling exhausted for no apparent reason.
Getting a pregnancy test is the most reliable way to check if you're pregnant.
deciding what to do
Getting pregnant when you haven't planned to is very scary. You might be especially afraid of your family or friends finding out.
It might seem easier to keep the pregnancy to yourself. But the most important thing is to tell someone. The sooner you talk to someone about your pregnancy, the more options you'll have about what to do.
Your family may not react badly to your pregnancy. They could be supportive and helpful. But if you're worried about talking to them, you can always talk to us to get support.
Keeping the baby
If you decide that having your baby is the right option for you, there's support out there for you.
Read our advice on going through pregnancy below.
Or get advice on getting support as a young parent on Family Lives.
Having your baby adopted
Adoption is when you give your baby or child away for someone else to look after forever.
It can be a hard decision to make, but we've got advice on having your children adopted.
Watch: Help, I'm pregnant!
worries about pregnancy
Every person has different experiences of pregnancy. When you first find out you're pregnant, you may feel worried about lots of different things.
Scared of telling the dad
The idea of being a teenage parent can be just as frightening for young men as it can be for young women. They may also need support to deal with the situation.
Talking about it together can help find a solution. You'll also be able to support each other through it.
It might seem hard to talk about it, but it can really help.
If you're a young man or a young woman and are worried about pregnancy, you can talk to us about it anytime. You don't have to be scared that you'll be judged. You won't be.
How you might feel
Hormonal changes during your pregnancy can make you feel tired, sick, emotional and upset, especially during the first 3 months. You may find that you cry a lot, sometimes for no reason. Or you could lose your temper more quickly. But this is ok.
It's normal to feel fed up sometimes during your pregnancy, but if you're feeling unhappy a lot of the time it's possible you have depression and it's important to tell someone. Your doctor or midwife can check there's nothing wrong with your mental health or physical health.
Is it painful?
Women's bodies are designed to go through pregnancy and labour, which is the process your body goes through to give birth. It might seem unbelievable that your body is able to do this, but it can.
Many women are afraid of giving birth and that it will be very painful. It's not unusual to be worried about it. Even if the pregnancy is planned, giving birth can seem very scary.
There are lots of options available for pain relief during labour, if you want it. You can talk to your doctor or midwife about what's right for you, and help you write a 'birth plan'. This is where you can say what you want to happen during labour and if you want any pain relief. You can then give this to your midwife or whoever supports you when you give birth.
My future...
You may also be worried about things like money. Or if you'll still be able to go to school or where you're going to live. Maybe you're wondering how you'll cope with being a parent and who'll support you.
Being a young parent will bring its own set of challenges. But there's different support available depending on where you live:
- supported housing if you can't live at home
- support groups in your area to help you with issues such as education, parenting skills and childcare.
However you feel, we're always here for you to talk things through.
my girlfriend is pregnant
It can be really scary to find out that someone's pregnant. And this can be even scarier if you're the dad.
It's good to talk
You both have to face uncomfortable feelings and difficult choices, so it's better to be honest. Your girlfriend may want to do something different from what you want to do.
Learn about your options
Find out as much as you can about the choices available to you.
Be prepared
Whatever you decide to do, your decision will affect you practically, physically and emotionally.
Get advice
Talk to a friend, an adult or talk to us.
losing your baby
There are some risks to having a baby. Find out what they are and how you can get support.
Miscarriage
A miscarriage is the loss of a pregnancy. This can happen during the first 23 weeks, but most miscarriages happen during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (the first trimester). A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks.
The main symptom of a miscarriage is vaginal bleeding – like your period – which may be followed by cramping and pain in your lower tummy. If you're pregnant and you're bleeding, it's important that you see a GP or midwife straight away.
It's unusual for a miscarriage to seriously affect your physical health. Most women who have a miscarriage go on to have a successful pregnancy in the future.
If you have a miscarriage, you may feel sad, guilty or angry. You might wonder why this has happened to you. Or maybe feel you weren't ready to become a mum. However you feel, it can be really helpful to talk to someone you trust.
Stillbirth
If a baby dies inside the womb after the 24th week of pregnancy, this is known as a stillbirth. For many stillborn babies, the cause of death is unknown. Some possible causes of stillbirth are:
- bleeding
- problems with the placenta, which may mean the baby wasn't getting enough oxygen or food
- problems with the umbilical cord, which attaches the placenta to the baby via the belly button
- pre-eclampsia – this is a condition that causes pregnant women to have high blood pressure, which can cause complications for the baby
- genetic defects – this is when there's something wrong with the baby's genes, which could have been passed down from previous generations rather than from either of the parents directly
- infections – the mother may become infected with an illness that can pass through the placenta and make the baby ill.
After a stillbirth, many parents want to see and hold their baby. This is a personal choice. You'll be given some quiet time with your baby, if this is what you want. If you choose to, you can take photographs of your baby and keep mementos such as hand or foot prints. Or a lock of hair. You may want to name your baby. Not every parent wants to do this – it's your choice about what you want to do.
You might be confused about how you feel after losing your baby. Your might feel sad or depressed, angry or guilty. Maybe you're not sure how you feel.
Often, friends and family don't know what to say. You may feel pressured into getting back to 'normal', when all you want to do is to grieve for your baby. It's important to talk about how you're feeling. We're always here to talk and you can contact us about anything.
The father of the child will also be experiencing a range of emotions. It might help to talk together about what you're thinking and feeling. You might also want to talk to someone on your own. Remember, we're here to talk and can answer any questions you might have.
I was raped
and
I'm
PREGNANT
getting support
There are lots of decisions to make around pregnancy, and it can be hard to cope.
But we're here to help. You can contact a counsellor.
Other sites we'd recommend:
- Brook has advice and support on pregnancy
- Family Planning Association has info about your options
- Miscarriage Association gives support for miscarriage
get more support
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.