If you think you might be pregnant, the first thing to do is to do a pregnancy test. You might also want to talk to your family or friends so you have a bit of extra support. You can go to a local contraception and sexual health service for a test or buy a test from a pharmacy or supermarket.
Always read and follow the instructions which will be in the kit. It is helpful to have a sample of your first urine of the day because the pregnancy hormone levels will be a little stronger and more likely to give a correct result. You can also go to your GP but you may have to wait a few days for a result in some practices. You can find more information on where you can go by clicking here
A pregnancy test will not give you an accurate result until 3 weeks after having unprotected sex or 3 weeks after having sex when your contraception may have failed. Don’t forget that if you weren’t planning a pregnancy you can ask for emergency contraception up to 72 hours (3 days) and possibly up to 120 hours (5 days) after unprotected sex – look up emergency contraception on this website
For most girls the first sign that they might be pregnant is a missed period. You might wonder if you got the date wrong but sometimes it’s just better to do a test.
Other signs you might be pregnant include:
You may have planned a pregnancy and be happy with a positive result; in which case you will need to contact your local GP practice to discuss looking after yourself and your unborn baby during the pregnancy.However, if a pregnancy was unplanned and you do not want to continue with the pregnancy then you will be given advice and any help necessary.
You may have been planning a pregnancy and be disappointed with the result; you can get advice on planning a pregnancy from the where can i page
If you are not planning a pregnancy but were previously not using any form of contraception this is the time to look at what options are available to you. Check out the ‘Contraception: which is right for me?’ page
If you are thinking about termination of a pregnancy (abortion) then you can either go through the NHS or pay privately. If you go through the NHS this is provided locally, Dudley people will be referred to the Calthorpe or British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) clinic.
Regardless of whether you pay privately or go through the NHS you will need to have counselling before you make a decision. This is provided at various locations usually a few days before the procedure. To be referred through the NHS go to the Where Can I Page.
