Are you a young person with questions about teenage pregnancy?
Last updated: 21/11/2011
Add to My Bookmarks
Subscribe
If you’ve had unprotected sex and you’re worried you might be
pregnant or that your partner is pregnant, it’s really important
that you get help and information as quickly as you can.
Emergency Contraception
(sometimes called the ‘morning after pill’)
Did you know that emergency contraception can be taken up to 5
days after having sex which can prevent an unplanned
pregnancy? Lots of chemists provide emergency contraception
(‘morning after pill’) for free if you’re under the age of
25. For details where you can get the morning after pill,
phone NHS Direct: 0845 4647 or go to http://www.eefo.net/ or
the NHS Choices website:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Sexandyoungpeople/Pages/Sex-and-young-people-hub.aspx
Do you think you’re pregnant / your partner is pregnant?
Are you expecting a baby? Are you the Mother? Father?
All the support that you could possibly need is in this
section.
It is important to speak to someone as soon as you can.
Whatever your situation there is support available for you.
The possibility of an unplanned pregnancy can be a really scary
experience.
If you think you may be pregnant - firstly, find out if you
are.
The first sign is usually a missed period following sexual
intercourse. Then you may experience breast tenderness and nausea
that may occur soon after the missed period. If you have
experienced the above symptoms, you need to have a pregnancy test.
To do this, you can:
- See your GP confidentially
- Go to a specialist young people’s clinic like Brook or Share –
they have clinics in different places at different times.
Tel: Share 0800 181033 / Brook 01209 710088 for more information on
opening times and places.
- Go to a Contraceptive Clinic.
- Obtain a home pregnancy testing kit from a pharmacy, but you
have to pay for these and they cost around £10.00.
- Confirm the result of a pregnancy test by seeing your GP
- Go to a Young People’s Centre – they’re in the following
towns;
Bodmin, Truro, St. Austell, Launceston, Saltash, Liskeard,
Newquay, Camborne, Penzance or Bude.
If you are not pregnant
This is an important time to think about the future. You may
have been worrying a lot over the last few weeks.
Is it worth the worry? Are you ready for pregnancy?
If you wish to avoid the distress of an unplanned pregnancy in the
future, talking to a counsellor, your doctor or a specialist
trained youth worker may help you to consider your options
regarding future sexual activity and/or contraception. You
might want to register for the C Card Scheme, where you can get free condoms
from any site that displays the C Card logo.
This may also be a good time to discuss the situation with your
partner to explore your feelings about pregnancy i.e. Is the
relationship ready? What options might we have considered if the
test result was positive? What does this mean for the future of our
relationship? What plans should we put in place to avoid pregnancy
in the future?
If you are pregnant
You may feel very anxious about telling your parent(s) or
carer(s), afraid of their possible anger or disappointment. Perhaps
another adult you can trust e.g. school counsellor / youth worker /
a member of the family who could talk with you about these concerns
initially.
There are a number of options to consider. It is important that you
take some time to think about what you want and not be pressured
into a decision by others.
Initially, you may be in shock and find it hard to think. This is
very normal. It usually takes time before it is possible to think
clearly about what might be the best thing to do.
If you decide to proceed with the pregnancy there is lots of
help within your reach, but you will need to contact someone to
talk things over. A visit to your doctor will be confidential and
he/she will refer you to local support agencies.
Try to speak to an adult you trust, they will be able to offer
practical advice and help you obtain the care you need.