Do you think you may be pregnant? Do you know you are pregnant? Are you a teen parent? If so, you’re probably going through a lot of mixed-up feelings. You still feel like a kid sometimes, but you have this major responsibility that most girls your age have no idea about. Teen pregnancy can be a scary thing. You might feel embarrassed in front of your family, your parents, your friends or your teachers. You might be terrified of what your parents will say. You also might be worried about how the baby’s father will react to the big news.

If you feel like you’re all alone, remember that you aren’t. Seek out people to help you through your pregnancy and beyond.

Even though you’re a teenager, your options regarding pregnancy are the same as any woman’s: keep the baby and become a mother, put the baby up for adoption, or end the pregnancy.

This is a very difficult decision that takes a lot of time and thought. You should always look for advice from a parent or a trusted adult who will help you through some of your tough choices. Remember that your parents and other adults whom you trust might be more helpful than you think, even if you feel embarrassed to talk to them at first. Don’t feel alone, because there is always somebody out there to help. There are a lot of things you need to consider as a pregnant teen, including money, the father, your plans for the future, pregnancy issues and much more. Regardless of what you think is the right decision now, we encourage you to get lots of good advice and take your time to make your final decision because it will affect the rest of your life.

Deciding to Keep the Baby
So, you’re going to be a mother? Well, there are tons of changes that are going to take place over the next year, so be prepared. Beside the health concerns and changes in your body, which you can read about here, there are many other changes in your day-to-day life that you will have to deal with as well.

The number one thing for you to do as a pregnant teen is to take care of yourself. Be healthy so that your baby will be healthy. Whatever you do, don’t drink alcohol, use drugs, or smoke cigarettes while you are pregnant.

You will need to find a doctor who will guide you through your pregnancy and eventually deliver your baby. You are going to be at the doctor’s office a lot more often than you have been — approximately once a month at first and once a week toward the end of your pregnancy! This process is called your prenatal care. The costs of prenatal care can get expensive for you or your parents, if they are helping with costs. There are many social service organizations and clinics out there to help you if you need it.

At the doctor, you will be asked many extensive questions about your medical history and your behavior. You will need to be honest with your doctor in order to ensure that you make the best decisions for the health of you and your baby. You will go through pelvic exams, like you have had at the regular OB/GYN. You will have lots of tests on your blood and urine done to make sure that you don’t have any diseases that will affect your pregnancy or the baby.

Pregnant teens are at a greater risk for anemia, high blood pressure, miscarriage and premature labor than older women. In order to try to avoid these complications, you’ll need to take care of yourself by taking dietary supplements like folic acid, calcium and iron during your pregnancy. Your doctor will tell you more about this.

As a pregnant teen, you will be encouraged to sign up for a class that will teach you and other pregnant women about how to prepare for birth and parenting. Often, there are classes designed specifically for teens. Ask your doctor to recommend a more teen-focused class.

Planning for the Future
No matter how you look at it, teen parents are forced to grow up fast. That means no more care-free summers, splurging on new CDs or goofing around. You’re going to have to figure out where you want to raise your child and who will help you. Many times a teen’s parents will help to support their daughter through pregnancy and parenting. You’ll also need to talk with the baby’s father about planning ahead. Perhaps you will raise the child together, but many times teen mothers are single parents. The father has a legal obligation to provide for his baby financially, so talk to him or an attorney if you need to.

When it comes to finances, a new baby is a major change for a teen. You will need to feed a hungry little mouth and make sure that you can afford a doctor for your baby and provide shelter, diapers, baby food, clothes and much more. Not to mention, you will have little time to work at first while you are caring for the baby. That’s why having a support system of family and the father helps. If you have a strong support system, you will still be able to finish school. Talk to your guidance counselor about night programs or flexible schedules that will allow you to get your diploma.

Putting the Baby Up for Adoption
If you decide that you’re not ready for the responsibilities of parenthood, there are always people looking to adopt. Placing your child up for adoption is a difficult decision that takes a lot of courage and strength. Some factors that might influence you to decide to go through with adoption are financial concerns, lack of support from the father and your family, religious or ethical convictions, and the desire to finish school or go to college. All of these factors are perfectly fine reasons. You should never feel guilty, ashamed or like a “bad mother” for putting your child up for adoption. In fact, realizing that adoption is best for your child and going through with it is one of the most courageous acts a mother can do for her baby.

When you put your child up for adoption, you give up all legal rights to that child. That means that you might never see the child again. Be prepared for confused and intense emotions throughout your pregnancy and even later on in life. Sometimes the emotions that you feel because of your pregnancy hormones make adoption even more difficult.

In order to place your child up for adoption, you will need to work with a licensed child placement agency. You will be able to talk with an experienced counselor at the agency about all of your concerns. In some states, you may be able to meet the adopting parents if you choose.

Approximately 1 million children live with adopted parents in the U.S. There are support groups out there if you would like to talk to other mothers who have put their children up for adoption. Your OB/GYN or the hospital you deliver at will be able to refer you to support groups in your area.

Remember, all the health issues that apply to any other mother still apply to you, so be sure to take the necessary steps to take good care of your health and your baby’s health.

Choosing to End a Pregnancy
You also have the option of choosing to end your pregnancy. This will involve an abortion, which you can get at a local clinic. An abortion is a medical method of ending a pregnancy by emptying the uterus. Early abortion (before 12 weeks) is a procedure that can be done in a few hours. Abortion laws vary from state to state, but often abortions are not performed after 12 to 24 weeks except in cases of rape or extreme health concerns with the pregnancy. Later term abortions also are more involved that those performed earlier in the pregnancy. With any abortion, you will feel discomfort during the procedure, but the amount of pain varies for all women.

Some women have difficulty dealing with the emotional aspect of the abortion. That is why most clinics will advise or recommend you to undergo counseling along with your procedure. If you choose to have an abortion, it is best for you to go to a licensed establishment such as a local Planned Parenthood office.

Click below to read about related topics.

Introduction
Abstinence
Birth Control
Teen Parenting
STDs