You can get pregnant even if you have used contraception. If you are pregnant you have the right to decide what you want to do about it.
Find out if you're pregnant
Check you are pregnant by taking a test. These are free from your local FindItOut Centre, GP, NHS walk-in centre or sexual health clinic. Or can be bought from pharmacies or supermarkets.
Your pregnancy will be treated confidentially, even if you're under 16.
If you are pregnant you have three options available to you and you can choose any one of them:
- continuing with the pregnancy and raising the child
- continuing with the pregnancy and putting the child up for adoption
- ending the pregnancy by having an abortion.
Whichever option you choose it is important to get advice and support from a healthcare professional such as a GP, practice nurse or midwife.
What's it like being pregnant?
The stages of pregnancy
There are 3 trimesters during pregnancy, each of these have a different effect on your body and the growth of the baby.
First trimester: Weeks 1-12: This is where your body is adjusting to the change and starting to form the baby. This is the most crucial time in your pregnancy and you need to make sure you are taking care of yourself to keep yourself and the baby safe. By the end of this trimester your fetus should have formed into a tiny human!
Second trimester: Weeks 13-28: This is the middle stages of your pregnancy. Your belly will start to grow and you will start feeling the effects of being pregnant as well as enjoying the sensation of your baby starting to move.
Third trimester: Weeks 29-40: The last stages of pregnancy. Your baby is starting to move around and get into position ready for labour and some are born early during this stage. This will mean you will have more health checks during this time to make sure you and the baby are healthy and everything is going to plan.
Find out more information about the stages of pregnancy on Tommy's website's pregnancy calendar.
Morning sickness
Morning sickness tends to occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy as your body starts to deal with all the hormones. It is normally first thing in the morning however it can happen anytime during the day. By week 16 you should be starting to feel better.
Visit Tommy's website for more information and tips on morning sickness relief.
Lifestyle during pregnancy
It's important to stay healthy when you are pregnant and that starts with your diet, including stopping drinking alcohol, smoking and reducing the caffeine (coffee, tea and energy drinks).
It is also a good idea to stay active when you are pregnant as this will help your body react to the changes it is going through. You can be fairly active during trimesters 1 and 2 and then during trimester 3 as your body starts to slow down.
You can find more information on exercise and activity when pregnant and tips for a healthy diet.
Giving birth
Find out about what happens and the symptoms you might expect during labour.