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Young parents & pregnancy
Everything you need to know about pregnancy.
If you are reading this maybe you are hoping that you’re pregnant, maybe you’re praying not to be pregnant. In both cases pregnancy is a nerve wrecking topic.
In most women’s lives there are times when she misses a period or it’s a few days late. This is the moment when you think…what if I’m pregnant? How do I find out? Who can I speak to? What are my choices?
If you think you are pregnant (or your period is 14 days late) buy a pregnancy test immediately. You can get them from pharmacies or you can ask your doctor to do a pregnancy test.
Unplanned pregnancy
Do you think you’re pregnant? Is your period late? Are your breasts sore or do you feel sick? If you had unprotected sex or your contraceptive didn’t work then there’s a chance you might be pregnant.
If you think you are pregnant, you will be experiencing a lot of different emotions. Maybe happiness and euphoria. Maybe fear and denial. You might know exactly what option is right for you or you might have no idea. You need to see a medical professional to find out for sure if you’re pregnant or not and to get advice.
It may help to talk things over with your partner, a close friend or a family member. Alternatively, you may prefer to discuss your feelings and options with a professional counsellor. Don’t feel you have to make this important decision on your own. Equally, don’t let others decide for you. See below for contact details of support organisations.
I think I’m pregnant. What do I do?
Go to a doctor. If you don’t want to visit your normal doctor then go to a health clinic. You can also buy a pregnancy test in most pharmacies and they have detailed instructions on how to use them. But if the test shows you are pregnant or you are unsure about the result you MUST visit a medical professional.
If you discover you’re not pregnant then learn from the fright and promise yourself that you’ll never have unprotected sex again.
I’m pregnant. What are my options?
National Pregnancy Helpline : 1850 49 50 51
Call this number from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday to make a confidential and free appointment with an Irish Family Planning Association Pregnancy Counsellor in a centre near you.
Talk to someone you trust: maybe a close friend, your boyfriend, parents, a relative, a teacher or school counsellor. Hopefully this person will be supportive and help you decide what to do next.
Think carefully about the choices you have. These are:
- Continue with the pregnancy. You may decide to continue with your pregnancy and get married, parent alone or live with the baby’s father and look after it together.
- Continue with the pregnancy and consider adoption or fostering. You may decide that adoption is the best option for you. It is a legal agreement and is organised by your health board or an adoption agency.
- Consider an abortion. If you are considering an abortion this means that you would be stopping the pregnancy. Abortion is not legal in Ireland unless there is a serious risk to the woman’s health but for some women it’s another option to think of. Abortion is a very emotional subject and it is very important that you get support and help if you decide to have one. For those who want to find out more about this option it is important that they speak to a pregnancy counselling agency who will respect the decision and give unbiased information on this option, for example the Irish Family Planning Association.
What to do if you decide to keep the baby
- Once you decide to have the baby you should go to a doctor for a health check up.
- Click here to access details on the medical care all pregnant women are entitled to.
- Ask your doctor for advice on what you need to do in the coming months and about any support groups for mothers-to-be or young mothers in your area.
- Remember that drinking alcohol, smoking or taking drugs can damage your baby.
- If you are pregnant and do not have somewhere safe and healthy to live then contact CURA who can provide a list of Pre-Natal and Post Natal accommodation services throughout the country.
- Treoir www.treoir.ie the National Information Centre for Unmarried Parents, provides supportive information for parents who are not married to eachother. See: http://www.treoir.ie/pdfs/Info
_Pack07.pdf - Further information for young parents: www.teenparents.ie
If you are worried about being pregnant, Positive Options is a directory of organisations that offer advice and counselling to women who find themselves with an unexpected pregnancy.
