Should I take a pregnancy test?

Many teenagers may be unaware of the signs of pregnancy and consequently they don’t take tests until much later on; this can limit their options if they do find out they are pregnant. You should take a test if you have had unprotected sex recently or you have had protected sex using a condom and you think there may have been a split or a tear and you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Feeling more tired than usual
• Feeling emotional
• Changes in your appetite
• Feeling nauseous
• Sickness
• Changes in your mood
• Tender or sore breasts

You can now buy pregnancy tests from pharmacies, high street chemists and supermarkets and you can get them from family planning centres, sexual health clinics and Gum (genitourinary medicine) clinics (in some cases, these facilities may provide tests free of charge).

Teenage Pregnancy:

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• Teenage Pregnancy
• Why is teenage pregnancy so common?
• Which types of contraception are available to young girls?
• Should I take a pregnancy test?
• Who can I talk to if my test is positive?
• What are the options available to young girls?
• Preventing teenage pregnancy: tips for parents and educators
• Support for teenage parents
• Health during pregnancy

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