Teen Pregnancy

You had unprotected sex or the condom broke a few weeks ago and now your period is late. Dealing with an unplanned pregnancy can be a stressful time in any woman's life. But if you're a teenager, the situation can seem like a catastrophe.

You don't want to be a parent yet! How do you tell your parents? Where do you go for help? And what will your friends think?! Before you start to freak out, take a deep breath and remember that you are not the first teenager to experience an unwanted pregnancy. Millions of others have gone through (and survived!) the same thing. So, what are the first steps you should take?

What to do in an Emergency

If you just had unprotected sex yesterday and you want to end the pregnancy, then you can take an emergency contraceptive pill (ECP). This is a pill that you get from a doctor or at a walk-in clinic and can help you out in three ways.

First, ECP can stop your body from releasing an egg. If you have already released an egg, then the second way ECP can help you is by preventing that egg from being fertilized. If that egg has been fertilized, then the last way ECP will help you is by stopping the egg from being implanted in your uterus.

However, ECP can only be taken within three days after having unprotected sex and is more effective the sooner you take it. After that, ECP can't help you. ECP will also not cause an abortion or miscarriage. So, if you're already pregnant, ECP won't be able to change that. If you're not sure what the signs of pregnancy are, go to signs and symptoms.

First, take a pregnancy test. To find out more about pregnancy tests, read our article on home tests. If you are sure that you're pregnant, then you have a few options open to you. You could keep the baby and be a parent. You could continue the pregnancy and give the baby up for adoption. You could terminate the pregnancy by having an abortion. Or, if you really can't decide, then you can place your baby into foster care once she or he is born to think more about keeping the baby or placing it up for adoption. But what do these choices really mean?

Becoming a Mommy

If you decide that you want to keep the baby, then you'll have to be prepared to be a parent. Being a parent is a full-time job and it doesn't matter if you're an adult or a teenager - it's hard work. But that doesn't mean you can't do it.

If you are thinking about being a parent, be realistic about it. Being a parent can be very rewarding and special. But it takes a lot of time (with no vacation for about- oh, 20 years or so), a lot of money, a lot of help, and a lot of patience. To help decide if this is the right choice for you, here are some questions you should ask yourself: