Admin - January 6th, 2012
I recently heard someone say, “I can’t tell my parents I’m pregnant! My mom will be so disappointed in me and my dad might even kick me out of the house!”
Being a mom of two daughters, I know that I would want my girls to tell me if they were to get pregnant. I would be disappointed, but I would also be okay!
Many parents have dreams for their children. They want them to find the right person to marry, to have the security of a home and job and then start a family. That being said, I love my daughters and want to support them no matter what circumstance they find themselves in. Here are some things that I hope my daughter would do if she were to tell me she was pregnant:
-
I hope that my daughter would tell me as soon as possible. It seems that when we put things off they feel bigger and scarier.
-
I would want her to tell me in person or write me a note. Sending a text feels very impersonal.
-
I hope that she would wait for the right time to tell me about the pregnancy--not as I rush in the door after a long day of work.
-
When she speaks to me it would be helpful if she communicated calmly how she is feeling, how she needs my love and support.
-
Hopefully she would remember that I will need time to process all I am hearing, just as she needed time to process the pregnancy for herself.
It won’t be easy to tell your parents about your pregnancy, but hopefully you will be surprised to find that with some patience, understanding and clear communication the whole family can get through a very difficult time.
If you want help figuring out how to best tell your parents, remember that you can call CareNet. We would love to help you.
Guest blog by Terri C. Terri works in the Wood Dale office and has helped many families deal with unexpected pregnancies.
Brenda Goodnough, RN - May 25th, 2011
This entry is re-posted from 2009.
Worried that you may be pregnant? There are often symptoms that occur after conception. Some women will notice changes in their bodies very quickly and some will say that they have very few.
Symptoms can include:
-
Missed or unusually light period If your periods are irregular it may be difficult to know you’ve missed a period but not having a period for several months when you are sexually active deserves some attention. Also, it is not unusual for some pregnant women to continue to have some very light bleeding around the time of their normal period.
-
Breast swelling or tenderness This can also be a sign of an impending period but it is very common to have very tender breasts or a darkening of the nipple area early in pregnancy due to an increase in hormone levels.
-
Morning sickness In spite of its name, morning sickness is mild or severe nausea can occur at any time of day. This symptom often begins around week 8 and usually goes away after the 12th week of pregnancy. Some women find that morning sickness lasts, to some degree, for a longer period of time.
-
Fatigue Pregnant women often complain of being “very tired” or noticing a drop in their energy levels. A combination of hormones and the demands of the rapidly growing fetus can result in this common complaint of pregnant women.
-
Headache Hormone changes also cause this common symptom of pregnancy. If you start to experience frequent headaches, especially if headaches are a rare occurrence for you, you may be pregnant.
If you are sexually active and are experiencing one or more of these symptoms you may be pregnant. The only way you can be sure is to have a blood or urine pregnancy test or ultrasound. The more sensitive urine tests can detect pregnancy hormone as soon as a week after conception. Ultrasound can give you valuable information about your pregnancy as soon as 4-5 weeks after conception.
CareNet provides very accurate tests for free. Please call to schedule an appointment at one of our four offices.
Cara B. - April 27th, 2011
One of the first tell-tell signs of pregnancy is what is commonly called “morning sickness.”
eMedicineHealth.com says “up to 70% of all women get mild to moderate symptoms during the first three months (first trimester) of pregnancy. These symptoms are usually gone by the fourth month.” However, some women's symptoms may last throughout the entire pregnancy.
Morning sickness is a common experience among pregnant women, but what EXACTLY is it?
New York Times Health states, “The exact cause of morning sickness is unknown. It may be caused by hormone changes or lower blood sugar during early pregnancy. Emotional stress, fatigue, traveling, or some foods can make the problem worse. Nausea in pregnancy is more common and can be worse with twins or triplets.”
Even the experts can’t pin down morning sickness quite yet! However, there are several tips and tricks on how best to manage your nausea. Check out some of these tips at WebMd. Also, speak to your medical professional about any symptoms you may be experiencing.
Interesting to note is that morning sickness does not occur in other mammals—only humans. So, when you’re feeling quite queasy, just remember, it’s a uniquely human experience!
Brenda Goodnough, RN - May 19th, 2010
For thousands of years women have attempted to “test for pregnancy” in a variety of ways. Ancient Greek and Egyptian writings record lengthy and complicated methods which were not scientifically based or accurate. It wasn’t until the 1940s that there was a way to conclusively determine a pregnancy before it became physically apparent.
Both blood and urine pregnancy tests work by detecting the presence of hCG, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. This hormone is secreted by the developing placenta after implantation. The earliest that this hormone can be detected is four days before a period is expected, or about 6-10 days after conception.
hCG is measured in mIU’s. Blood pregnancy tests are the most sensitive and can detect hCG levels as low as 5 mIU’s. Additionally, a blood test will actually measure the amount of hCG present which can be valuable for determining how a pregnancy is progressing. hCG levels will double every 48 to 72 hours in healthy, viable pregnancy. This requires more than one blood test but it is the earliest and most accurate pregnancy test obtainable.
In the mid 1970s the home pregnancy test became available which allowed women the opportunity to easily and accurately find out if they were pregnant in the privacy of their homes.
Unlike a blood pregnancy test which measures hCG amounts, urine tests work by determining the presence of the hormone. The detection thresholds are between 20 mIU’s to 100 mIU’s, depending on the brand. Typically, the more expensive the over-the-counter test, the more sensitive and reliable it is.
Early detection of pregnancy can be helpful since an expectant mother who knows early on can avoid behaviors that might harm the pregnancy. However, a urine pregnancy test cannot tell you if the pregnancy will continue. One in six pregnancies will end in a miscarriage. Only ultrasound confirmation can determine whether or not a pregnancy is viable in the early stages of pregnancy.
CareNet offices provide free reliable tests. If you are concerned that you may be pregnant, please call us for an appointment.
Lisa P. - May 12th, 2010
Can I get pregnant if...
-
we have sex before/after/during my period?
-
I'm on birth control?
-
we didn't really have sex, but ...?
-
(your question here)
Getting pregnant depends on egg, sperm, hormones, timing and lots of other factors. Studying conception is difficult even in a lab because the factors are small and hidden deep inside the body.
In addition, the peer counselors who answer the helpline or talk with you at your visit aren't medical professionals. However, they have a lot of experience with pregnancy questions and have heard the personal stories of many women. Because they've heard these stories, they will always say that the only way to know for sure is to take a pregnancy test after enough time has passed.
Timing
The timing question (when in your cycle did the incident occur) is tricky because of the assumption that every woman has a 28 day cycle. Some women have shorter or longer cycles, and some women have very irregular periods. Even women who have regular periods may experience some variations due to stress, illness, travel or nothing in particular. Because sperm live for a few days and the body doesn't exactly issue an ovulation warning, relying on timing means counting on two things: there isn't an egg ready to be fertilized at the time of the incident, and also that the body won't release an egg (ovulate) while there are still sperm around. Even people who keep track of when they ovulate can get confused, tricked or just surprised by what the body does.
Birth Control
All birth control fails sometimes. Some kinds are very, very effective, but most of our peer counselors have done a test for someone in that unlucky small percent of women who get pregnant on the pill (or the patch, or whatever). Only abstinence provides complete protection against getting pregnant. Next to that, choosing a birth control method and using it regularly (as directed) is very desirable. Remember that hormonal birth control methods (pill, patch, shots, etc) don't protect against STDs, and even condoms only provide partial protection. (More about STDs here.)
Outercourse and other sexual activity
Anyone who's asking about the possibility of pregnancy from outercourse, which includes mutual masturbation and oral sex (or some combination thereof), should probably get a test. Pregnancy is not likely to result from alternate sexual activities (which is why people engage in them, in part), but it is possible (which is why people call or chat to ask about it). It's hard to estimate the likelihood of a pregnancy occuring this way because in addition to the regular factors, there are questions about sperm survival and transmission. If you're worried about it, the mechanics are too subtle and individual for someone else to be certain for you.
Getting a pregnancy test can help couples relax and stop stressing out about the possibility of being pregnant. This is helpful since stress can delay a woman's period or mimic other symptoms of pregnancy. The pregnancy tests offered by PregnantHelp are free and performed in a comfortable, confidential clinic. Call or chat to schedule an appointment.
