Pregnant?
Time is important with pregnancy. Get help as soon as you can.
Pregnancy and having a baby can make people feel all different things. Everyone’s reaction will be different when finding out they, or their partner, are pregnant.
Some people will be happy and excited, others will feel upset and worried.
Sometimes pregnancies are unplanned and unexpected. If you do not feel ready for a baby this can be stressful.
There is help and advice whatever your situation.
Think you might be pregnant?
If you think you might be pregnant, it is good to confirm this as soon as possible.
There are a few reasons for this:
- you might need some health care or advice
- the earlier someone knows they are pregnant, the more choices they can make about their pregnancy
While it is important to decide what to do about a pregnancy as soon as you can, you may not want to share this information with many people until you have thought it through a little bit more.
For advice or help speak to:
- your GP (doctor)
- a health professional from a sexual health service
- your NHS Lothian school nurse
- an adult you trust
Options if pregnant
If you have found out you are pregnant, there are some choices you can make about your pregnancy.
You have three options:
- Continue with the pregnancy and keep the baby.
- End the pregnancy. This is called abortion or termination.
- Continue with the pregnancy and place the baby for adoption.
Whatever option you are thinking about, you can speak to a health professional and get accurate, confidential information.
For advice or help speak to:
- your GP (doctor)
- a health professional from a sexual health service
- your NHS Lothian school nurse
Find out more about your options if pregnant.
Early signs of pregnancy
If you have a regular period, the earliest and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period.
Other signs of being pregnant can include:
- feeling sick or vomiting
- strange tastes, smells or cravings
- needing to urinate (pee) more often
- sore breasts
- feeling tired
People who are pregnant sometimes have small amounts of bleeding that can seem similar to a light period. So if you have any of the signs above, and you have had sex, it is best to check if you are pregnant.
If you think you might be pregnant, the best way to confirm this is to get a pregnancy test. Do it as soon as possible.
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