Teenage Pregnancy: What to Do Now

If you found out you are pregnant and you are under the age of 18, it is natural to feel fear, stress or confusion. An unplanned pregnancy can be a shocking event for any woman, and especially for a young teen. Instantly, you are faced with a fateful decision that has significant repercussions for your physical and emotional well-being, is coupled with the natural fear of the reaction of your parents and the immediate environment.

It is important that you know that there are available today various solutions and support options that can help you. It is also important that you know that the choice regarding the continuation of the pregnancy is yours! Under Israeli law, you yourself can decide to terminate the pregnancy without the consent of your parents and without the consent of the father of the unborn child.

First of all, make sure that you are actually pregnant

It is important to perform a home pregnancy test or a blood test for the HCG hormone in your HMO. A pregnancy test is the best way to confirm a pregnancy. A late period is not enough to determine whether you are pregnant. Irregular menstrual cycles are typical of teens your age. Even the well-known symptoms of early pregnancy, such as sensitive and painful breasts, nausea or vomiting (not necessarily in the morning) and extreme and prolonged fatigue, are not enough to establish pregnancy.

Decision on the future of the pregnancy

If pregnancy is confirmed, the next step is to determine the age of the pregnancy (which week of the pregnancy you are in). A gynecologist will establish the week of pregnancy through an ultrasound. It is important to know the age of the pregnancy, regardless of whether you want to continue the pregnancy or terminate it.

You are now facing 3 options:

• Continuing the pregnancy and raising the child.
• Continuing the pregnancy and giving the child up for adoption after birth.
• Terminating the pregnancy.

If you are still deliberating or finding it hard to decide, you can find advice in the article: Making Decisions About the Pregnancy.

Whether you have decided to terminate the pregnancy or you are still deliberating, it is important that you become familiar with the medical and bureaucratic aspects of pregnancy termination in teenage girls as well as your rights. You can find all the information in the article: Teen Pregnancy Termination.