How to Deal With Teenage Pregnancy

Although getting pregnant as a teenager can feel isolating and overwhelming, it is quite common. Each year in the United States alone, over 750,000 teenage women between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant. Denial is a powerful coping mechanism, but teenage pregnancy demands action.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. See a doctor even though it might feel scary to confide in an adult. A doctor must respect patient confidentiality. A doctor can help you explore your options and can rule out possible complications such as an ectopic pregnancy.
2. Consider the choices. If you are pregnant, you have three options. You can have the baby and raise it yourself, give the baby up for adoption or terminate the pregnancy.
3. Write down your feelings as well as the pros and cons of each choice. Putting your feelings about the options down on paper can help you to organize and clarify your thoughts.
4. Call a teenage pregnancy crisis line. Trained counselors can help you sort out your feelings and make an informed decision.
5. Get in touch with your values. Before you make a decision about whether or not to continue with the pregnancy or keep the baby, consider your faith and the values shared in your home. Making a decision in line with these values decreases the chance that you will regret it later.
6. Confide in a trusted adult besides your physician as you prepare for the next step. Usually, this is a parent. If you feel this is not an option, consider another close relative, a school counselor, or a youth leader.