About this topic
Being pregnant as a teenager can be hard for a young person to face. A pregnancy can upset school or other plans. Many girls are afraid to tell parents about a pregnancy. Denying or ignoring the pregnancy does not make the pregnancy go away. You and the baby need extra care during this time. You have a few choices. You may keep the baby or give the baby up for adoption. Some teens choose to end the pregnancy. ‚
General
Tips for teens on how to deal with pregnancy: ‚
- Tell your parents as soon as possible, even if talking to your parents is hard to do. Talk to adults that you trust, like a school counselor, teacher, or grandparent.
- Visit a doctor for a checkup. Your doctor will help you understand more about what you need to do.
- Talk to a counselor to help you deal with your feelings.
- Try to finish school if possible.
- Learn about changes to your body during pregnancy. You are likely to:
- Have a bigger belly
- Have tender and larger breasts
- Feel tired
- Feel dizzy or pass out
- Miss a period
- Have upset stomach and throwing up
- Go to the bathroom more often
Tips for parents on how to deal with teenage pregnancy: ‚
- Talk to your teen. Talk about her choices, decisions, and feelings. Let your teen know that you will be on her side no matter what.
- Talk to a close friend or counselor. Share your feelings. Talking about your feelings may prevent arguments between you and your pregnant teen.
- Talk to the school guidance counselor and teachers about school work, attendance, and graduation. Help your teen understand her choices.
- Look for community services offered to teen mothers. Encourage your daughter to apply for these services. Offer to go with her or to help fill out paperwork.
- Show your support for your daughter.
- Help her learn to care for herself while being pregnant.
- Go with your teen to her regular prenatal checkups.
- Talk to your teen about your expectations for her.
- Support your teen in schooling and parenting.
- Along with your daughter, talk to the father of the baby and his parents. Talk about plans for the pregnancy and parenting.
What will the results be?
Teens facing pregnancy may be more likely to: ‚
- Make less income
- Drop out of school
- Use alcohol and drugs
You can make life choices to change these things. Staying in school is very important. ‚
What lifestyle changes are needed?
Teen girls who are pregnant need to: ‚
- Take prenatal vitamins
- Avoid smoking and drugs
- Avoid beer, wine, and mixed drinks (alcohol)
- Use condoms during sex, even while pregnant, to help avoid sexually-transmitted diseases.
Will there be any other care needed?
- Eat healthy foods.
- Exercise regularly.
- Get lots of rest.
What problems could happen?
- High blood pressure during the pregnancy
- Placenta may be too low and cause bleeding
- Low iron in the blood
- The baby may not grow well in the womb
- The baby may be born before the due date
- The baby may weigh less than 5 pounds at birth
- Sadness after the birth of the baby
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Swelling of the hands or face
- Unexplained weight loss
- Headaches
- Less urine output
- Throwing up
- High blood pressure
- Changes in eyesight
- Pain in your lower belly
Where can I learn more?
KidsHealth ‚
http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/teen_pregnancy.html ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
Copyright
Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚