Dear Sira,
I think I might be pregnant! It’s a long story, but there are a couple guys I’ve been seeing off and on. We’ll hook up occasionally, nothing really serious. I make sure we’re taking precautions each time, so I thought we were good. But it’s been over a week since I should have had my period and nothing. I’m a little freaked out. Can you help me? Please.
What now?
Dear What Now?
Thanks for trusting us enough to contact us. First things first, try to stay calm and let’s see if we can figure this out together. To start, let’s look at the facts. You can get pregnant at any time using any method of birth control. None are 100% effective if you’re having sex. We know that’s not the answer you were looking for, but it’s the truth. Any time you have sex, you’re taking a risk.
Now let’s look at your situation and answer some questions that will help determine if you might be pregnant.
When was your last period?
This is an important piece of info to help determine when you were ovulating. You’re more likely to get pregnant immediately after the half-way point or 14 days from your last period. Remember, this is an estimate. Every girl is different. But if you have an idea of the time frame of your period and when you had sex, it can help.
What is your body saying to you?
- Are you experiencing morning sickness or nausea?
- Are your breasts more tender than normal?
- Are you more tired than usual?
- Are you peeing a lot?
None of these are sure fire signs that you’re pregnant, but they are early indicators, especially if you are experiencing more than one of them.
Have you already taken an home pregnancy test, and if so, what were the results?
While home pregnancy tests are extremely reliable, there are factors such as how soon after sex you took the test and other things that can cause both false positives and false negatives. It’s important to be sure.
Come in and take a free pregnancy test
We understand that taking a pregnancy test and sharing the results with complete strangers may be the last thing you want to do. We also know women do it every day because they have questions and want to talk with someone. Even if you’ve taken a home test and it came back positive, you should still take another test just to be sure. If it does come back positive there will be someone to give you accurate information, and to listen if you need to talk.
We can also get you scheduled for a follow up ultrasound appointment to verify the viability of the pregnancy. An ultrasound is the best next step after a positive pregnancy test.
Please understand that it’s important to get medical help soon if you’re pregnant.
We’re here for you and we can help. Give us a call and let’s find out if you’re pregnant and then we can help you process what the best next steps are for you.
