Britain has the highest level of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe, the number of children with teenage mothers in the year 2000 was just over 87’000. Many of these teenage mothers never thought it would be them who got pregnant, “that kind of thing always happens to somebody else”, but it doesn’t happen to somebody else, I t could happen to you if you are not careful.
There is only one way to ensure that you don’t become another statistic and a teenage parent, don’t have sex! Although we realise that not everybody sees this as being the answer, if you are in a relationship and you are planning to have sex it is vital that you plan properly and carry contraception with you!
“It will happen to somebody else!"
It is important that you understand the realism of you or a friend becoming pregnant, below is a list of facts about pregnancy, have a read and see if you are surprised, I bet you are!:
- You CAN get pregnant the first time you have sex!
- You CAN become pregnant if you have sex during a period.
- You CAN get pregnant if you have had unprotected sex before and got away with it!
- You CAN become pregnant if you miss an occasional contraception pill!
- You CAN get pregnant by having sex in any position, including if you are stood up!
- You CAN become pregnant within the first month of using the contraceptive pill, additional precautions will be necessary.
What to do if you think you might be pregnant.
If you think you might be pregnant there is only one way to make sure, that is to have a pregnancy test. There are two ways this can be done:
- Buy a “home pregnancy test kit” from a local supermarket or pharmacist, you can either do this on your own or ask a friend for support. In order for the test to be as accurate as possible it is important that you read and follow the instructions carefully.
- Go along to a local clinic, you can have a test done at most family planning clinics, some GUM clinics (helping with all sexual issues) and your GP, all cases will be treated with confidence.
If you need help or advice on your local or national source of contact we have supplied a list of agencies in our Who Can Help section of the website.
Who can help?
If you have become pregnant unexpectedly you will be feeling shocked and confused and not sure who to turn to or what to do next for help and support. It is important to face up to the pregnancy and gain support as soon as possible, this can be through your parents, boyfriend, GP or a local or national agency. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP, you are not the first or the last person to ask for help with their pregnancy.
Local Help:
Your local GP – all conversations will be treated as confidential.
Family Planning Clinic
Telephone:0191 451 6180
The Grapevine Clinic - Stanhope Parade Health Centre, South Shields.
They can offer a confidential service for people of all ages and help them with a wide range of problems, primarily to do with sexual health and relationships.
Click here to
see the Grapevine Clinic's contact details
Don’t forget that one of the best people to ask for help is the person who is closest to you, your mum, dad, brother, sister or grandparent.
National Help:
Child Line:
Tel: 0800 11 11
www.childline.co.uk
Brook Advisory Centres:
Confidential advice for Young People.
Tel: 0800 0185 023
www.brook.org.uk
Family Planning Association:
Confidential advice service for all the public.
Tel: 0845 310 1334 (9am-7pm)
www.fpa.org.uk
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