Oh no! I may be preggo!

by Kristan Hawkins | March 31, 2014
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MPregnancy Testissed your period? Feeling sick? Witnessing an unusual increase in your spare tire? Before you sound the alarms and brace yourself for the family lecture, pause for a moment to consider your situation. You may be panicking when simply you are late for this month’s visit from Aunt Flo.

Take a deep breath. Let’s go over the basics!

1. Are you sexually active?

If you are sexually active, proceed to #2-4. If your period is late but you are not sexually active, give your doctor a call. Stress, diet, excessive exercise, and other lifestyle changes may be causing your delayed period. Your doctor can work with you to identify the problem and then determine the best course of action to get you back on schedule.

2. When was your last period?

Whether you mark your calendar religiously or you simply wait in anxiety for your T.O.M., take a deep breath and figure out your last period. You may have miscounted, or you could simply be panicking without good reason.

3. How are you feeling?

Early signs of pregnancy may include some of all of the following symptoms: missed period, headaches, tender breasts, nausea, lower backaches. While women’s experiences vary, you may be experiencing a few or all of these signs.

4. Have you taken a pregnancy test?

If you are sexually active, get over to the store, and purchase a pregnancy test. If you are nervous, a friend may be willing to do this for you or accompany you for the trip. Go home, read the instructions, and get to it. Pregnancy tests can identify pregnancy as early as 7-10 days after ovulation. Testing too early may result in a negative test. You should do a second test to be sure that your results are accurate. (See this fact sheet for more information.) If your test comes up positive, schedule an appointment with your doctor to confirm your pregnancy. Even if it is negative, you should consider scheduling a doctor’s appointment to make sure that you are healthy. Your doctor will help determine why you missed your period, examine you for STIs, and address other health concerns.

“I’m PREGNANT! Where can I get help?”

An unplanned pregnancy is often a very emotional time for young women. Please know that you are not alone in this journey. There are thousands of pregnancy resource centers and pro-life organizations across the country that are prepared to assist you in your needs. Please check out our page,  Resources for Students, to guide you through the resources on this website. You can check out our National Resources page, or simply search for your campus to find resources to meet your needs. You should also go to OptionLine.org to search for the pregnancy resource center nearest you.

 

This post was contributed by Beth Rahal, Pregnant on Campus Coordinator. For comments and questions, please contact Beth at [email protected]