HEALTH EDUCATION

Pregnancy

What if I’m pregnant?

Women may ask this question at many times in their lives — especially when their periods are late. If you think you’re pregnant, you may be asking yourself lots of other questions, too:

• Is having a baby the best choice for me?

• Is raising a child by myself the best choice for me?

• Is raising a child with a partner the best choice for me?

• Is placing the baby for adoption the best choice for me?

• Is having an abortion the best choice for me?

You want to choose what’s right for you. But first, be sure you are pregnant.

How can I be sure I’m pregnant?
You can have a pregnancy test done at a clinic or at home. Home pregnancy tests are available at pharmacies. They usually cost about $8-15. They can detect pregnancy as soon as a few days after a missed period. But be sure to follow exactly the directions on the package in order to get an accurate result.

Women who take home pregnancy tests often go to clinics to have the results confirmed by a health care provider.
If your test is "positive," you will need a pelvic exam. The clinician will feel the size of your uterus to estimate how long you have been pregnant. Then you will need to decide what you want to do.

What are my choices?
You have three choices if you are pregnant.

• You can choose to have a baby and raise the child.

• You can choose to have a baby and place the child for adoption.

• You can choose to end the pregnancy.

There is no right or wrong choice for everyone. Only you can decide which choice is right for you. But deciding may not feel easy to do — there is a lot to think about.

How can I decide which choice is best for me?
Consider each of your choices carefully. Ask yourself

• Which choice(s) could I live with?

• Which choice(s) would be impossible for me?

• How would each choice affect my everyday life?

• What would each choice mean to the people closest to me?

It may also help to ask yourself:

• What is going on in my life?

• What are my plans for the future?

• What are my spiritual and moral beliefs?

• What do I believe is best for me in the long run?

• What can I afford?

Talk about your feelings with your partner, someone in your family, or a trusted friend — someone you think will be supportive. Family planning clinics have specially trained counselors who can talk with you about your options. Your counselor will try to make sure that you are not being pressured into any decision against your will. You may bring your partner, your parents, or someone else if you wish. You get to decide who will be a part of your decision-making process.

Look for a clinic that will give you complete information about your options. If you need help, call your local Planned Parenthood center at 1-800-230-PLAN.

Beware of so-called "crisis pregnancy centers" that are anti-abortion. Some of these centers advertise free pregnancy testing.

• They may perform your pregnancy tests without medical supervision.

• They won’t give you complete and correct information about all options.

• They will try to frighten you with films that are designed to keep you from choosing abortion.

• They will lie to you about the medical and emotional effects of abortion.

• They may tell you that you are not pregnant even if you are, to fool you into continuing your pregnancy without knowing. The delay would make abortion more risky and keep you from getting prenatal care.

• They will discourage you from using the most reliable methods of birth control.

Find out as much as you can about all your choices. Below is some information to consider:

How soon do I have to decide?
If there is a chance that you will continue the pregnancy — you should begin prenatal care as soon as possible. You should have a medical exam early in your pregnancy to make sure that you are healthy and the pregnancy is normal.

If you are considering abortion — you should make your decision as soon as possible. Abortion is very safe, but the risks increase the longer a pregnancy goes on.

While you are deciding what to do, take good care of yourself. If you decide to have a child, it’s important to be healthy.

• Eat enough good food — fruits, vegetables, cereals, breads, beans, rice, and dairy products, as well as fish, meat, and poultry.

• Keep your body in good shape. Stay active and get regular exercise.

• Get plenty of sleep

• DO NOT SMOKE

• DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL

• Limit drinks with caffeine, like coffee and cola

• Do not eat junk food

• Do not take any drugs or medications — not even aspirin — without checking with your clinician.

You can get complete information about prenatal care and how to pay for it from your family doctor, your local Planned Parenthood center, other family planning clinics, women’s health centers, and your state’s department of family services. Good prenatal care is very important for a baby’s health.

To make an appointment with the Planned Parenthood center nearest you about your pregnancy options and prenatal care, call toll-free
1-800-230-PLAN.



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