Symptoms and Tests
If you think you may be pregnant, it is important to see a physician. It is also important to avoid any drugs, alcohol or other unhealthy habits that can cause birth defects.
Symptoms of Pregnancy
Signs that you may be pregnant include:
- Missing a period
- Feeling tired
- Having swollen or tender breasts
- Urinating more often
- Feeling nauseous or throwing up
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Pregnancy Tests
Beginning about one day after you have missed a period after a menstrual cycle during which you had unprotected sex, a clinic or health care provider can do a blood or urine test to determine if you are pregnant.
Home pregnancy tests are also available and usually reliable. They should be done a few days after your first missed period, using the first urine of the day, which is the most concentrated. These tests can be used as a preliminary indicator of pregnancy. However, you then want to follow up with a test at your doctor's office or a clinic.
If you are indeed pregnant, you should seek medical care promptly. Your doctor will also be able to answer your many questions and alleviate some of your concerns -- you're not alone.
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Options for Pregnant Teens
If you are pregnant or have gotten someone pregnant, you will need to make an important decision about what to do next. There are a few options available to pregnant teens. The pages below provide information about each of these options.
Personal Experiences
Read stories written by teens about the choices they made when they found out they were pregnant at Sex, Etc., provided by Rutgers University. Accessed September 2006
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