Teen Pregnancy Symptoms

By Sheila C. Wilkinson

When a teenager is sexually active, there is always the possibility of a pregnancy, even when using a diaphragm, a condom or the pill. Although it's rare to conceive while on the pill, it does happen. The earlier that the pregnancy is detected, the faster teens can get prenatal care to ensure a healthy pregnancy and infant. There are several hotlines available to teens who need to talk about their questions concerning pregnancy and the options available to them.

Considerations
1. Unprotected sex is the leading cause of teenage pregnancy so if you have had sex without any method of birth control , you are at risk. If you've missed your period or you've had a fraction of what your normal monthly blood flow is, you could be pregnant. If you're on birth control pills, but you missed one or more pills-especially if it's at the beginning of your cycle-you could be pregnant. No birth control, including the pill which is the most reliable, is 100 percent effective, even when no pills have been missed. Birth control pills should be taken each day at the same time each day for the greatest effectiveness.
Identification
2. Get a pregnancy test if you have any reason to suspect that you could be pregnant. These tests are the most accurate when taken about a week after you miss your period. Follow the directions on the box exactly. Some test sticks are held under the stream of urine and others are dipped into a small container of urine. When reading a pregnancy test for results, lines can show up that are called evaporation lines. When the urine evaporates, these lines often show up right where a positive sign would be. These, however, are clean, colorless lines and are very faint, unlike the true positive test lines which can be different colors but will easily be seen. If the results are not clear and easy to read, get another brand of test and do it again. Some are much clearer than others. Some even spell out the words "pregnant" or "not pregnant" for you.
Warning
3. Don't rule out other factors when trying to ascertain whether you're pregnant. Many of the signs of early pregnancy can also occur during periods of high stress or illness. Also, although there's a high accuracy rate for pregnancy tests bought over the counter, there are some things that can cause a false reading. If you let the test sit around and you read it later than the directions indicate, you can get a false positive reading. If you had what's called a chemical pregnancy you can read positive. This happens when a pregnancy occurs and doesn't last until your period comes. It sometimes can change your body's chemicals long enough for a false reading. Any drugs containing Human Chorionic Gonadotropin or hCG, which are used primarily in infertility treatments, can throw off accurate results .
Effects
4. Test again to be sure. If you're uncertain about your pregnancy test results, wait a couple of days and test again, being very careful to follow the directions exactly. Consider the emotional factors involved as well. A false or hysterical pregnancy which occurs when a woman wants very badly to be pregnant but has an unusually hard time conceiving, can raise the HCG levels in the body and cause a false reading on a home pregnancy test. These false pregnancies can also cause a woman's period to stop, her breasts and abdomen to grow and have even been known to mimic labor pains when the nine months have passed.
Identification
5. Know the signs for a teenage pregnancy. Some women have signs of pregnancy really quickly-within days of conceiving-but this isn't often the case. Usually the earliest signs of pregnancy seen are missing a period, feeling sick to your stomach or vomiting, urinating more frequently than usual, sore and fuller breasts and unusual tiredness and changes in appetite, which can mean you are much more or much less hungry than usual. Some women can tell they are pregnant because they just feel different; achy, lightheaded or moody. Most of these signs, including moodiness, sore breasts, nausea, tiredness and a slightly distended stomach, can occur before your period starts and stress can mimic some of these signs as well. Know that the signs of pregnancy will not always show up early in all women. Some women will even have relatively normal periods while they're pregnant. Sometimes, signs of pregnancy can show up much later. As pregnancy advances, some women feel bloated and they'll gain weight. They may have frequent heartburn, constipation, low back pain, an elevated body temperature, a sudden sensitivity to smells and they may feel irritable and moody.
Warning
6. Get a blood test if you are relatively certain that you are pregnant. This is a much more accurate test than the over the counter tests because blood is a surer indication of the chemical changes that occur in pregnancy. These can also give a false positive reading, although this is not common. Certain drugs, including anti-convulsants, some tranquilizers, some diuretics (water pills) and drugs used in treating Parkinson's disease can interfere with accurate readings of blood tests. In most states, you can go into a clinic or doctor's office without parental knowledge or consent and get a free blood test for pregnancy.
Expert Insight
7. If you need to talk to someone there are lots of hotlines available with trained staff to help you. Call America's Pregnancy Helpline at 1-888-672-2296, Planned Parenthood at 1-800-230-PLAN or CTIS Pregnancy Risk Information at 1-800-532-3749. This last number will help you with information about any substances that may be harmful to an unborn child, such as street or prescription drugs, alcohol, infectious diseases and any other substances that could harm a baby. These lines are toll free and confidential, so don't hesitate to call if you need help. The school nurse or any doctor will also see you with confidentiality, so don't wait if you think you're pregnant. Get the care you need right away. For more information about teen pregnancy, see the URL listed below.