Pregnant teenagers help

Pregnant Teen | The American Pregnancy Association

Being a pregnant teen can be overwhelming, confusing, and scary. You are not alone; there are around 500,000 pregnant teens in the USA every year. As a pregnant teen, you might be wondering how to break the news to your boyfriend and your parents, what you will choose for your pregnancy, how this will affect you finishing school, what your friends will say about you, or about how you will be able to provide for your baby.

The good news is there are resources, services, and support just for you. The first step is to begin care for your pregnancy and to seek help. Maybe you haven’t confirmed your pregnancy yet, but have missed a period or have questions about your symptoms.

Our toll-free teen pregnancy hotline, 1-800-672-2296, and chat button below are here just for you. Our pregnancy educators are ready to help you figure out you if you’re pregnant, help you get a free and confidential pregnancy test and offer you a safe place to talk about your pregnancy options.

Let’s look at what it is like being a pregnant teen, how to determine if you are pregnant, breaking the news to your boyfriend and parents (and tips on how to talk with them), making a choice for your pregnancy, resources available to you, and much more. We’ve included links to some of our other articles for more in-depth information.

Before you psych yourself out, the first thing you need to do (if you haven’t already) is to find out if you are pregnant or not. Don’t assume you are pregnant just because you missed your period. The only way to know is to take a pregnancy test. You’ll want to wait until seven day safter you miss your period to ensure an accurate result. You can purchase a urine test at your local pharmacy or retail store, or go to a local testing center for a free one. Blood tests must be done at a clinic or by your doctor. Visit our Pregnancy Symptoms or Pregnancy Tests pages for more information. Call or chat with us and we’ll help you find a free testing center. After you have a positive pregnancy test, your next step is to make sure the pregnancy is viable (possible to carry to term) and not an ectopic pregnancy or a probable miscarriage. You can do this with an ultrasound. Many of the free testing centers also offer free ultrasounds, or your doctor can perform one. If the pregnancy is viable, then you have some decisions to make (see below).

Sharing the News as a Pregnant Teen

Once you confirm the pregnancy, telling others that you are pregnant is probably going to be very difficult. However, it is crucial to do so because it is by telling people you can find support and get access to care. You can start by making a confidential toll-free call or chat to our helpline. Our pregnancy educators have been the first person someone has told many times, so please don’t hesitate to talk to us. You may also find it helpful to speak with a confidential educator at a pregnancy center or through your school nurse or counseling office. As hard as it may be, you will need to plan on sharing the news with at least one of your parents. Because you are probably still living at home or still financially dependent on your parent(s), they will likely be the one(s) helping and supporting you in whatever decision you make for your pregnancy.

Talking to your parents

Most pregnant teens are scared to share the news with their family. We have a few suggestions on breaking the news to your parent(s):

Realize that this was probably not their plan for their teenage daughter; try not to be defensive about how you ended up in this situation. If you are humble and apologize for disobeying their rules/expectations, then you and your parents may be able to start with a cleaner slate.
Your parent(s) are undoubtedly going to ask you who the father is, and they are going to want to know if he plans to help you care for a child. If you have a relationship with the baby’s father and would like to continue it, ask him what he thinks/how he feels so that you can have an answer for your parent(s), as well as for yourself.
Most parents will consider a teen pregnancy irresponsible; so, show them that you are taking responsibility for your actions by coming up with a plan. These plans don’t have to be set in stone but make sure you have concrete ideas about prenatal care, how you will provide (jobs), if/how you plan to finish school, child care, where you will live, and the list goes on. This shows them that you are thinking ahead and behaving responsibly.
Your parents may have an idea about what choice they think you should make for your pregnancy. Remember that ultimately, it is up to you. If you’ve already made your decision, let them know. However, don’t be afraid to discuss with them as to why you’ve chosen what you did (they are going to want to hear your reasons anyway).
Your parent(s) may bring up some points that you had not thought about, so be prepared to LISTEN, too!
Don’t roll your eyes, storm off, or tune them out! They have been through at least one pregnancy before (you) and undoubtedly have some helpful information and wise insights to share with you.
Try not to set your expectations too high or too low. Not every “I’m pregnant” talk with parents is going to go well, and not all of them are going to go badly. Remember, you won’t know precisely how they’ll react until you break the news (even if you say that you’re sure of it). Some parents will be angry at first, but loosen up when it gets time for them to meet their grandson or granddaughter. Plus, they’re going to find out eventually because it’s quite challenging to hide in the second half of pregnancy. If you wait until then to tell them and get care, that can be dangerous for you and the baby.

As a first time pregnant teen, this will be the first time you have this talk with your parents. More than likely, this is their first time to talk about teen pregnancy as well.

Talking to your boyfriend

As a newly confirmed pregnant teen, you might also be wondering how to talk to your boyfriend. It’s possible you’ve already been talking to him about the possibility, or you are going to take a test with him present. If you take one on your own, here are some suggestions on how to tell him. We’ve also included thoughts on how to talk about what you (and he) wish for the pregnancy. As a pregnant teen, this is probably your first pregnancy. Remember, this is most likely his first time as well. Don’t forget to ask his opinion too – ultimately, the decision is yours, but the choice you make here could make or break your relationship. The baby does have half his DNA too!

Try to break the news as calmly as possible in person and not over a phone call or text (if you are long-distance, then a video call might be a better option). If you aren’t sure of what his reaction will be, it might be helpful to have the conversation in a public place but make it a place that both of you feel comfortable.
Many guys will face some denial about the situation initially. It might be a good idea to either bring the positive pregnancy test/results with you if you took one on your own, or to bring a new test and offer to take with him present. This way, he can see immediate proof.
He may need a few minutes to process what you’re telling him. You can take this time to explain what you are thinking or feeling about the situation, or you can give him some time to think in silence.
Don’t assume that he already knew that pregnancy was on the table – he might not have had any clue at all. Try not to hold this against him, as he might not have noticed anything different.
Try to keep calm throughout the whole conversation. He’s the one getting hit with big news at this moment, he may not be as emotionally controlled. (That doesn’t excuse any bad behavior or attitude he might have, but it may explain some of it.)
Don’t throw the blame all on him (unless intercourse was forced – in which case please talk to your parents and the police) – you both made the adult decision to have sex, and thus both of you are now facing the consequences. Try not to be defensive either, as that never helps a conversation go better.
Try to be as clear as possible when you explain what you’re thinking or feeling about the pregnancy. What choice for the pregnancy are you leaning toward? Why? Have you told your parents? When did conception likely occur? Vagueness can lead to misunderstandings and then arguments, so avoid that if possible.
Talking and decisions about the future of your relationship or the possibility of parenting together may not happen in this initial conversation. You both may be too full of emotion and shock to be able to make educated, long-term decisions at the moment. Don’t feel pressured to get all your plans finalized in this one conversation, and don’t pressure him to decide what he wants right away.
If the situation escalates and you fear for your safety or for his safety, excuse yourself and take some time to calm down or to let him settle his emotions. Don’t leave without an explanation; let him know that you’d like to continue the conversation later when you both are at a better emotional level.

You are more than likely a pregnant teen for the first time, and the same goes for him as well. If your relationship has been around for a while and you both know each other’s parents, you may want to plan a family meeting after you initially share the news with your boyfriend. Ideally, you both would have already made a decision about the pregnancy and about your relationship (how it will continue or if it will not).

Pregnancy Decisions as a Pregnant Teen

It is quite possible that you are questioning what to do with this pregnancy. Will you carry the baby to term, consider adoption, or look at termination through an abortion procedure? The first thing to remember is that it is your pregnancy – no one should pressure you into anything. Whether it is a parent, friends, your boyfriend, or some other person/group, no one should make you feel that you have to make the decision they want you to make. The options are there whether anyone tells you about them or not. You may find someone who tells you that you are a horrible person if you abort, and that is not true. You may get someone else who tells you that it is only a blob of tissue, which isn’t true either, with the heart starting to beat by day 21. There have been studies showing that a majority of women who get abortions feel that they didn’t have enough information to make an informed choice for their pregnancy. It is important to know all the resources available to you – without being aware of these, you may falsely think that there is no help for someone in your position.

Embrace Grace is a judgement-free support group organization developed to help young people with unplanned pregnancies. There’s probably one near you.

Choice 1: Parenting

You’re young, might not have a job yet or have graduated from high school, but that does not mean that you have no chance as a parent. Parenting can be very challenging but also extremely rewarding. There are many successful teen moms whose children grow up happily and normally. There are a lot of programs that can help you get on your feet and provide for a child, such as Medicaid for prenatal care, WIC for help eating healthy and for baby formula/breastfeeding assistance, food stamps to help you keep food on the table, housing assistance to bring your living expenses down, and much more. Here are a few topics on parenting that you may find helpful:

different types of parenting
how to be a single parent
things you need as you prepare for your due date

With parenting, you’ll have to speak to your boyfriend and your family about what this will look like. Will your boyfriend, help you raise the child, or will you have to pursue child support? Will you be able to stay with your parents or have to get your place? There’s a lot to think about when considering parenthood, but it is possible to sort through all these questions. Check out our Issues & Challenges article to learn more about the journey through pregnancy.

Choice 2: Adoption

There is also the option for adoption. Many teenagers feel that they cannot give a child the life they desire for them, and that is where adoption comes in. There are a lot of couples that are in a more stable time in life that are not able to parent children for one reason or another who desperately want a child. You could help make that a reality for these hopeful parents! Plus, the adoption agency or adopting family will typically cover the medical costs of your pregnancy. You have the option to keep in contact with the adoptive family, or to go through the adoption anonymously. Here are some other topics you might find useful:

adoption in the eyes of the birth parent(s)
questions to ask yourself when considering adoption
different types of adoption
financial help with adoption
And much more here.

We also encourage you to sit down with an adoption agency or professional to get a better idea of what adoption might look like for you.

Choice 3: Abortion

Abortion is the process of terminating a pregnancy. Depending on the age of the baby, there are different procedures available to you through medical or surgical abortions. Many women who choose abortion do so because they do not feel like there is any other option for their pregnancy. We encourage you to never decide out of fear, or because you feel forced to because of your situation or people around you! Before you choose, learn more about the options and resources that are available.

Remember that if you are a minor, you may need your parents to sign off on an abortion procedure. Contact a teen pregnancy center in your area to find out more about the laws in your state.

Help for a Pregnant Teen

As we noted earlier, there are approximately 500,000 new pregnant teenagers every year, meaning there is a need for specialized care. You may not know it, but there are usually school programs for pregnant teens allowing you to finish school. There are maternity homes just for teenagers to have a special place to get away and receive care, especially if there are any problems at home.

Abortion used to be the number one option selected by teenagers, but more and more young women are discovering that they can overcome the odds and succeed, either as a parent or through adoption. It is not easy, but there is help, resources, and support specifically for pregnant teens. You have to start somewhere to find what is available to you! That is why we suggest visiting a pregnancy center, talking to your parents, or calling our helpline so that you have an idea of a good next step toward choosing your pregnancy, or so that you can get information about helpful resources.

Prevention and Statistics

Though teen pregnancy rates in the United States have steadily dropped since 1991 and are now at record lows (reaching a new record low each year since 2009), they are still higher than the rates in many other developed countries. The latest data from the CDC revealed an average of 22.3 births per 1000 females (age 15-19) in 2015. It is important to remember that this number does not include aborted babies and pregnancy losses, and thus, the pregnancy rate (vs. birth rate) is higher than 22.3/1000. Around 30% of teen pregnancies end in abortion. Some people have postulated that increased availability of abortions is to blame for fewer births from teen pregnancies, but the abortion rates have stayed relatively the same. Many researchers believe that access to birth control/contraception is the reason for this drop in teen pregnancies. Don’t want to be a pregnant teen? Whether that means condoms, education about ovulation/fertility, or hormonal birth control, no method is 100% effective at preventing pregnancy and/or preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The only entirely effective way to avoid pregnancy and diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse and contact (abstinence). For more information on birth control and natural family planning, please check out the topics below:

Abstinence
Natural family planning (NFP)/fertility awareness
Male condoms and female condoms
Withdrawal/”pull-out method”
Spermicide
Cervical cap and diaphragm
Hormonal birth control:
- pills
- shot/injection
- patch
- ring
- implant
- intrauterine device (IUD)
Non-hormonal copper IUD
Emergency contraceptives/”morning after” pill

Hormonal birth control (including the morning after pill) works in three different ways: (1) prevents ovulation/release of egg, (2) thickens cervical mucus, making it more difficult for sperm to travel through to reach an egg, and (3) makes implantation of a fertilized egg difficult by thinning the uterine lining. Ethical considerations mostly come into play with the third action – with the belief that life begins at conception, hormonal birth control technically could terminate a pregnancy in its earliest stages. So, as you make your choices about how to prevent pregnancy, consider these actions.

Want to Know More?

Teen Pregnancy Challenges
Healthy Teen Pregnancy
Week-By-Week Pregnancy E-Newsletter.

Compiled using information from the following sources:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): NCHS Data Briefing “Continued Declines in Teen Births in the United States, 2015.”

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db259.pdf

2. Guttmacher Institute: Teen Pregnancy (United States).

https://www.guttmacher.org/united-states/teens/teen-pregnancy

3. Guttmacher Institute: “U.S. Teen Pregnancy, Birth, and Abortion Rates Reach the Lowest Levels in Almost 4 Decades.”

https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2016/us-teen-pregnancy-birth-and-abortion-rates-reach-lowest-levels-almost-four-decades

Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Teens

Pregnant and parenting teens often face challenges balancing their school, work, and home lives with being a new parent. Teen parents are at increased risk for dropping out of school, unemployment, poverty, mental health issues, and child care concerns. Ensuring that adolescent parents receive adequate social, emotional, medical, and academic support is essential to the parent and the baby’s future. On this page, find information on expectant and parenting teens in out-of-home care and ways to support them. Resources include State and local examples.

Addressing the Needs of Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Foster Care: A Primer on Interagency Collaboration for Children’s Bureau Grantees
Capacity Building Center for States (2019)
Explains the services offered to pregnant and parenting youth in out-of-home care by the John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood and the Adolescent Pregnancy and Parenting Program. This tip sheet provides strategies for using both programs together to improve outcomes for pregnant and parenting youth in out-of-home care.

Challenges, Benefits Found in Providing Home Visiting Services for Pregnant and Parenting Foster Youth
Chapin Hall (2021)
Presents the results of a study that shows adolescent parents in foster care needing additional support, and one way to provide this support is through community-based home visiting programs. Outcomes from these interventions show positive effects in the areas of parent-child attachment, child and maternal health and development, parenting skills, and social support.

Connecting the Dots: A Resource Guide for Meeting the Needs of Expectant and Parenting Youth, Their Children, and Their Families
Center for the Study of Social Policy (2019)
Offers information on interventions and services for expectant and parenting youth involved with the child welfare system to help improve parent and child well-being outcomes.

Helping Teen Parents and Their Children Build Healthy Futures
HealthyChildren. org (2017)
Discusses teen parenting, including how to prepare teens for parenthood, the importance of getting young fathers involved, what to expect in the future, and more.

Leveraging the Family First Prevention Services Act for Older Youth: Prevention Provisions
American Bar Association (2019)
Explains provisions of the Family First Prevention Services Act that will impact older youth, including the use of title IV-E funds to provide services to youth in foster care who are pregnant or parenting.

What Are Some Strategies for Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Teens in Foster Care?
Casey Family Programs (2018)
Examines challenges faced by child welfare agencies that are working with pregnant and parenting teens in foster care and discusses effective programs for this population that aim to ensure the healthy development of the teen parent and the child.

When Your Teen is Having a Baby
KidsHealth. org
Provides information for parents whose teens are pregnant or recently became parents. The website includes information on what parents may be feeling, what teens may be feeling, and special considerations for pregnant teens.

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For Young Parents
ShiftNC
Shares information on the education and medical rights of pregnant and parenting teens in North Carolina who are currently in school. The resource also offers information on where teen parents can access support resources such as, finding child care, finding support groups, financial benefits, and recommendations to stay healthy.

Overview of Policies and Considerations for Case Managers Working With Foster Youth Who Are Parenting
Florida Institute for Child Welfare
Presents a guide for child welfare caseworkers in Florida on working with pregnant or parenting youth who are transitioning out of the foster care system.

Parent Connection
Family Services
Highlights the Parent Connection program in Wisconsin designed to support teen parents and their children that offers the following programs, Parents as Teachers for teen parents, teen parent mentoring program, fatherhood programs, and young parent group and workshops.

Pregnant and Parenting Youth
Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families (2019)
Provides guidance to child welfare workers engaged with expectant or parenting teens to ensure a successful transition to adulthood.

Providing Home Visiting to Parents in Care: The Illinois Pregnant and Parenting Youth in Care Home Visiting Pilot Experience
Children’s Home & Aid
Describes a home visiting program in Illinois that serves pregnant and parenting youth in care and links to a full report on the outcomes of the pilot program.

Teen Parenting
Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services
Offers information on supports for pregnant and parenting teens, especially those involved with child welfare services, in L.A. County, California.

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Every year, 7.3 million adolescent girls become mothers

According to the new report "World Population 2013", presented today by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Its theme this year is "Motherhood in Childhood"

Its authors note that early pregnancy is a consequence of girls' disempowerment, deprivation, poverty and pressure from partners, peers, families and communities. Too often, pregnancy is also the result of sexual abuse or coercion.

Overall, 7.3 million adolescent girls become mothers each year. Of these, two million give birth to children under the age of 14. If the current trend continues, by 2030 the number of girls having children before the age of 14 could rise to 3 million a year. Nearly 200 teenage girls die of early pregnancy every day.

The report outlines the main problems associated with teenage pregnancy and its implications for the education, health, employment and overall well-being of girls.

The report notes that in every region of the world, poor and poorly educated girls living in rural areas are at greater risk of becoming pregnant than their more affluent and educated urban counterparts.

In addition, girls from ethnic minorities or marginalized groups are more likely to become pregnant. They lack the right to choose and have limited or no access to sexual and reproductive health services.

Childhood Motherhood provides a new perspective on teenage pregnancy by not only looking at the behavior of girls, but also the actions of their families, communities and governments as causes of early pregnancy.

“Society too often places the blame for pregnancy on the girl herself,” said UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin. “However, teenage pregnancy is most often not the result of a conscious choice, but rather the result of a lack of choice and circumstances that the girl has no control over,” added the head of UNFPA.

It is not only mothers and their children who suffer from the consequences of early pregnancy. The birth of children by girls who are still children themselves has an extremely negative impact on the economic situation of countries. For example, if more than 200,000 teenage mothers in Kenya did not get pregnant but got jobs, the country's output could increase by $3.4 billion. This is equivalent to the contribution of the entire construction sector in Kenya. And if in Brazil and India, girls gave birth no earlier than 20 years old, then the increase in labor productivity would bring the economy of Brazil $3.5 billion, and India - $7.7 billion.

The report notes that the problem of teenage pregnancy also exists in developed countries. For example, in the United States, only half of the girls who become pregnant make it to the age of 22 to complete secondary education. Among the girls who escaped this fate, the percentage of school graduates by this age is 90%. In addition, pregnancy damages the national economy and costs US taxpayers nearly $11 billion.

“We must look at the policies and norms of families, communities and governments that often leave a girl no choice but to become pregnant and urge them to make the necessary adjustments,” Osotimehin said.

UNFPA is working to create conditions around the world where every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every boy and girl can achieve their full potential.

“I am a psychologist and counseling pregnant schoolgirls”

How to make an adult decision

I have been working with young pregnant women for 19 years. Girls from 14 to 17 years old inclusive come to me after an appointment with a gynecologist - sometimes they already know that they are pregnant, sometimes they doubt. Of course, initially a trip to a psychologist is perceived simply as a tick. After all, most girls come to us (to the City Consultative and Diagnostic Center for Children "Yuventa") not to figure out whether to keep the pregnancy or not. They come for an abortion. But we must create conditions for them to make responsible reproductive choices.

Some people think that counseling is necessary in order for a psychologist to dissuade a patient from having an abortion, but this is actually not the case. Last year, about 350 pregnant teenagers applied to Juventa. Half of them terminated the pregnancy, the rest decided to give birth

The first question I ask seems to be quite obvious: was the pregnancy desirable or not. And then the girl becomes confused. She went for an abortion and did not allow in her thoughts that it could be somehow different. My goal is to make her think and make an informed decision. And just after the first question, she begins to think more deeply about the situation.

There are always arguments “against”

I always ask the girl to name or even write on a piece of paper the arguments for and against abortion. “Pros” are usually named lightly: this is the impossibility of continuing their studies, the lack of support from a partner or parents, money and the lack of housing. But with the writing "against" things are usually more complicated. But the first thing they call is health, that is, girls are afraid of infertility and complications. In second place are moral, ethical and religious aspects, in third place is the desire to have children.

I have experience in counseling couples after an abortion. And they were not always preserved

When a girl tells me that she has no arguments in favor of keeping her pregnancy, I ask her to think again and remind her that life is long. Now there are no arguments not to have an abortion, but is she sure that they will not appear a month or even the next day after the abortion? I explain that I don't need these arguments, she needs them. Again, to make a conscious choice.

There were times when a girl told me: abortion, no options. And then she came a week later and said that she and the young man sat over a piece of paper with their arguments and decided to keep the child.

Pregnancy is the main fear of parents

Before an abortion, one consultation can be carried out, sometimes there are several. First, I communicate with the girl, and then, if necessary, the young man, parents and relatives are connected. As far as I remember, the record is 4 consultations before an abortion.

First came the girl, then her boyfriend, older sister, grandmother and mother. As a result, everyone came and said - no, we will still have an abortion. The girl was 16, and the young man was 17. I remember that her mind was constantly changing. And I am still sure that the final decision for her was made by her parents. They said - we will accept any of your options, but ... And this "but" always presses the most.

The pregnancy of a schoolgirl daughter is one of the worst fears of mothers. At the same time, many parents are impenetrable, it is much harder to get in touch with them, they do not want to listen to their child. Parents are afraid of public condemnation, they are afraid of the reaction at school.

One of the patients came to me when she was pregnant for a long time. I asked her - what would you most like right now? She said she would like to date her classmates. The girl's mother, so that she would not be expelled from a very prestigious gymnasium in St. Petersburg, was forced to take measures so that the girl left the city. Therefore, when the question of choice arises - pregnancy and evening school or abortion and a prestigious university in a year - the choice of a teenager who goes to a gold medal is obvious.

Naturally, a pregnant girl is often not alone. I always ask the question - does the young man know what he thinks about this? I have experience counseling couples after an abortion. And I can say that they were not always preserved. The feeling of guilt pressed so hard that people simply dispersed. And I have worked in parallel with each of them.

On the day of the abortion

If a girl decides to have an abortion, then I will definitely conduct pre-abortion counseling on the day of the operation. Many patients are very scared. My task is to relieve emotional stress, which can affect the state and subsequently the process of rehabilitation. It happens that at the very last moment the girls decide to refuse to terminate the pregnancy. But for 19This has happened about five times in my career.

Teenagers' attitudes towards sex

Teenagers are different now. More often I began to observe serious and responsible guys who care about their health. For example, among them it has become a good form to contact us for a preventive examination, to be checked for sexual infections.

But when I counsel girls who are sexually active at 16, I always ask the question - what will you do if you become pregnant in the next month? This question shocks them: pregnancy and sex are on completely different planes and do not intersect in any way. Girls do not allow the thought that getting into such a situation is easy enough.

Adolescents believe that if there is love, then there must be sex

From my own experience, I can say that many girls are not at all ready to start a sexual life. For example, my 17-year-old patient came in with a request that she did not enjoy sex.

In theory, a sexologist deals with such issues, not a psychologist. But in the case of this girl, there were questions of a psychological nature - she herself does not need sex, but she cannot say “no” and talk about it with a young man. And this is a common problem. Teenagers believe that if there is love, then there must be sex. I explain to them that relationships, including sexual ones, are, first of all, trust. And if you don’t like something, then you should honestly talk about it with your partner.

Unfortunately, the topic of sex education is still closed, “inconvenient”. We still do not have the practice to speak calmly and without embarrassment about methods of contraception, abstinence. One time my male colleague said to me: “It’s crazy, you pronounce the word“ condom ”so easily!” Yes, I can calmly talk with a young man of any age about methods of protection and coitus interruptus.