Any adult women who is sexually active and not experienced menopause fears about pregnancy if her periods don’t come on time. Most pregnancies occur because the couple is not using birth control or not using it properly/ inconsistently. Even though contraceptives like birth control pills, condoms, IUDs, shots etc. are very good in preventing pregnancy, they are not 100% effective.
You may feel terrified, ashamed, shocked and are not ready/ do not want to be a parent. Otherwise, you may feel surprised and joyful about the possibility of becoming a parent.
What to do?
Before panicking and making any decisions, the first thing to do would be confirm your pregnancy. The earlier you know, the better it is to plan. Many of us change our minds after faced with an unexpected pregnancy, regardless of what we thought we would do. Therefore, be gentle with yourself and remember that there is help to guide you through this, no matter what your decision.
How to find it out?
There are two types of tests that you can take to find out about pregnancy-
- Home pregnancy test
These test detect the human chorionic gonadotropin [ hCG], a pregnancy hormone which can be found in urine. These tests are generally accurate and can be done about the time when you missed your periods.
Most pregnancy work in a similar manner: You have to either pee on the stick or collect the urine sample in a cup, in which the pregnancy test card is doused. After some minutes, the results will be shown on the card. One-line means not pregnant, whereas double lines indicate pregnant.
- Blood Test
You can do this at a health clinic, where your blood sample may testify your pregnancy. It can tell if you have conceived or not, even before a week when you are supposed to get your periods.
What are the signs of pregnancy?
- Breast tenderness/ enlargement
- Missed/ lighter/ shorter period
- Frequently tired
- Frequent urination
- Feeling bloated
- Vomiting/ nausea
- Changing moods/ emotions
- Nipple sensitivity
These symptoms may vary woman to woman. Do not assume pregnancy before taking a test.
Is it possible to get pregnant without having intercourse?
It is possible, although rare for a woman to conceive without penetration. Pregnancy is a possibility if the sperm comes in contact near the vaginal entrance, if it’s on the clothing that is directly in contact with the vagina and also if it’s is on your fingers that is then put into the vagina etc. As sperms ejaculated form the body can only survive from minutes to few hours, the likelihood of getting pregnant is slim to none.
Learning about your options
You can go to pregnancy advisory centers and consult professionals if you are confused as to how to proceed after unexpected pregnancy. Beware of centers that are run by biased people, who often discourage and scare women from abortion, if that’s her choice.
If you decided that this pregnancy is not for you, you can buy abortion pills or access surgical abortive procedure.
If you decide that you want to continue the pregnancy, you can either be a parent or put the baby up for adoption.
Your body is going through a major hormonal change, which will affect your mood and feelings. It is best to have a talk with your closest ones to think through the possibilities.
Nevertheless, the final decision should be made by you alone.
Yet it is important that you take the decision early pregnancy to avoid complications and limited choices. Just trust yourself and determine what is best decision for you.