Pregnancy scares are normal for a sexually active woman.

Although there are several myths around how to reduce the risk of pregnancy, for example: having sex standing up, douching after sex, or having sex in the bath,  no contraception is 100% effective, therefore unless you’re totally abstaining from sex, there’s a chance of getting pregnant.

Condom tears, a missed period and morning sickness are all signs of pregnancy. Other symptoms include, swollen and tender breasts (which may include sensitive nipple) a change in appetite, for example going off certain foods that you usually love or crave or peeing more often and only loosing a little blood, also known as spotting, .

Clinics

GUM Clinics are available across the UK offering sexual health advice and support, contraception, STI tests and pregnancy tests.

To access a clinic, you can make an appointment over the phone or simply go down to a drop in session.

You will be asked to give your name and contact details when seen by an adviser and you will also be asked a few questions about your sexual and medical history.

For example, When was the last time you had sex? How many sexual partners have you had? Do you think you have an infection? Do you have any symptoms?

Don’t worry, all clinics are confidentially, therefore nothing will be passed on to your parents or guardians or GP without your permission.

Some questions may make you feel  a little embarrassed or uncomfortable, but as it’s part of looking after your sexual health, so it’s important to be as honest as you can. You also have the option of being seen by a male or female nurse, to make the experience more comfortable.

Taking a test

To take the test, all you do is take a urine sample and wait for the results. One line means negative and two lines mean positive. (Positive test results are almost certainly correct, whereas negative test results are less reliable and can require you to repeat the test again to confirm).

If the test happens to be positive, you shouldn’t feel any pressure to make a decision, however it’s important to make sure that you gain advise and support from people you feel confident to talk. It doesn’t have to be a family member or friend, there are services available to speak to someone confidentially.

Your GP will help you to determine how far along you are in the pregnancy and advise you of your options. If you’re not sure that you want to be pregnant and feel that the best option for you is to determinate your pregnancy then you can arrange an abortion.

About Shine Aloud

We are a youth led social enterprise that aims to provide creative solutions to address sexual health inequalities among marginalised groups!