Every year there are thousands of unplanned pregnancies in the UK and they happen to women of all ages. Sometimes these unplanned pregnancies can be a time for excitement but for some women a pregnancy could not have come at a worse time. So what can you do if you need advice on coping with an unplanned pregnancy?
Firstly, you need to think long and hard about whether or not continuing with the pregnancy is the right thing for you or not. Try not to be swayed by the opinions of those around you, it is your body and your decision whether or not to have a baby.
Once you have decided if you want to go ahead with the pregnancy or not will depend on what you need to do next. If you are going to keep the baby you need to go and get an appointment with a midwife who will monitor your pregnancy and advise you on how to stay healthy. You can find out how to do this through your doctor’s surgery or through A4e – the choice is yours. If you are going to be a young mother you might also want to find out about the different groups that can help you. Once again speak to your doctor’s surgery or get in touch with A4e who can put you in touch with people who can help you.
If you have decided on a termination you will need to speak to your doctor about the next stage. If you are in the first few weeks of your pregnancy your termination will be more straightforward and you should be able to get booked into hospital for this performing. The later a pregnancy the more tricky a termination becomes and after 24 weeks they are illegal. So if you want to terminate your pregnancy you need to act as quickly as possible.
Anyone who is opting for a termination should make sure that they have the right emotional support to help them through this difficult time. So try to have someone who you can talk to and who can, if possible accompany you to your appointment and stay with you afterwards. If you don’t feel as though you can turn to anyone you can speak to your doctor or A4e who can put you in touch with organisations who can help you to talk through your feelings and support you.
Pregnancy is a very personal thing and every woman will deal with an unplanned pregnancy differently. Just be aware that there are people who can help you no matter what your age is or how far along in your pregnancy you are. So if you have just learned of an unplanned pregnancy speak to your doctor or A4e today and get the help that you need and don’t face it alone.
