scared? Let's talk about youth pregnancy

I recently had a pregnancy scare. I was absolutely terrified. Me and my boyfriend had been using protection and I am on birth control. I thought everything was fine until we noticed that the condom was leaking. A few weeks had passed from that day and I was feeling nauseous and I was gaining weight. I had also been getting constant headaches. At the time I was scared was when we were on a break so I didn’t have the proper support I needed from him. He didn’t even know I was scared until we got back together.


    I should probably mention now, I was not pregnant. However, pregnancy scares can get the best of us. I was terrified to tell my mum about the scare, and I still haven’t told her. She had my older sister when she was 16 years old and worked so hard to make sure I would not end up in the same position she did. When it became possible that I could end up in her position I panicked. It felt like I had nobody to talk to.


    I also know quite a lot of people who are 15-19 and pregnant right now. It is really scary to think I might have joined the club. When my boyfriend and I got back together, I finally brought it up after I realized was not pregnant and he was relieved but he wanted to make sure again. I finally convinced him that I was certain about not being pregnant. 
    If you have concerns about whether or not you're pregnant:
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• Talk to someone you trust. When I thought I was pregnant, I wish I mentioned it to someone sooner. Even though I was not pregnant, I wish I talked to someone about it. I wish I had supports. So whether that someone you trust is a friend or family member or a teacher at your school or even us here at TWE, please talk to someone.
• Get a pregnancy test. This is one way to know for sure. I didn't do it at first because I was nervous to do it alone. I recommend if you can do it with someone nearby, then do it. 
• Talk to your doctor. If you are pregnant, it is best to talk to our doctor about options. If you are not but you are experiencing symptoms then there may be something else going on. They can also give you more accurate results about your pregnancy. 
• Find out your options. Research things like abortions (if that is an option for you), adoption, how much it would be to keep it, and more. It is important to know your options before making any decisions. I personally researched about abortions and the laws around them in my area.

    Pregnancy can be extremely scary. Especially for youths who are not ready for a child or are in an abusive relationship. If you want more information on youth pregnancy, you can either read an article by Sophie (https://teenagerswithexperience.weebly.com/sophies-articles/teen-pregnancy) or you can contact your family doctor about it. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment (I check comments regularly) or contact us. 

Joey