Introduction
Pregnancy can be a big life change. Finding out that you are pregnant can bring up a mix of emotions, from shock or confusion to fear or even excitement. For young people, pregnancy can be a different experience than it is for adults. There might be extra challenges when it comes to school, relationships, mental health, or getting the support you need.
If you think you or your partner might be pregnant or have had a positive pregnancy test, you might be asking yourself, “What now?” Whatever your situation, it’s important to know what your options are and that there are people and services that can support you during this time. You don’t have to go through it alone.
What to do if you think you’re pregnant
Signs of pregnancy
Firstly, look out for signs of pregnancy. One of the first signs of pregnancy is a missed period. But if you have an irregular menstrual cycle, it can be hard to know if you are pregnant or if your period is just late. Other symptoms of early pregnancy may include:
- A shorter or lighter period
- Mood changes
- Feeling more tired than usual
- Feeling nauseous or vomiting
- Stomach cramps
- Tender, sore or larger breasts
- Needing to go to the toilet more often
- Food cravings or not being able to eat something that you usually like
- Wanting to eat more food and drink more water than usual
Having one or more of these changes does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. But you should check with a health professional as soon as you can. Everybody is different and you may only experience some of these symptoms or none at all.
You’re not alone.
If the reason you are worried about pregnancy is because you have been sexually assaulted, there are free, private and confidential supports to help. See below for support details
- NSW Health Sexual Assault Services provide 24/7 responses to people who have experienced sexual assault, including crisis responses, counselling and a specialised medical service to support your health and wellbeing. If the assault happened recently, within the last week, these services also provide the option of medical forensic examinations to collect evidence for legal purposes if you would like them to.
- Full Stop Australia 24/7 counselling and support on 1800 424 017. They are free and offer support over the phone, online or face to face.
- 1800Respect (1800 737 732) provides confidential sexual assault and family and domestic violence counselling via phone and webchat.
You have the right to care and support and there is help available.
A health service can support your health and wellbeing needs, including treating any injury or pain you may be feeling, sexual health screening and emergency contraception (including what is also known as the ‘morning after’ pill).
You can learn more about emergency contraception in our Sexual Health section.
It’s your decision about what to do if you think you’re pregnant however seeking support from a trusted adult (a parent, family member, school counsellor, healthcare provider) as you move through the steps can be helpful.
Step 1 – Take a pregnancy test:
The first step is to get a pregnancy test to confirm you are pregnant. The only way to be sure that you are pregnant is by taking a pregnancy test.
Pregnancy, Birth & Baby has more information on signs of pregnancy, what to do next and what to think about while you’re making your decision.
There are 2 options for pregnancy tests. You can use a home pregnancy test or go to your local doctor and ask for a pregnancy test. Keep in mind, if you use a home pregnancy test and it comes back positive, you should visit your doctor as soon as possible to get another test to confirm the result and access health care. It’s important to get a test as soon as you can, so you can receive the support you need moving forward.
Tip – try to buy a pregnancy test that has two tests in the package so you can repeat the test after a day or two to be extra sure of the result. It’s also more cost effective.
Where to get pregnancy tests
Testing at home: Home pregnancy tests are available from your local supermarket (self-serve checkouts are great if you are worried about privacy) or from your local chemist. If you’re a bit nervous, ask a friend to go with you.
Read the instructions carefully and follow the directions. Pregnancy tests work by testing the hormone levels in your body that change when you are pregnant. For them to detect these hormones, you need to take the test about 14 days after you think you may have fallen pregnant (the information in the test will tell you – the main thing is not to take it too early, or it might not show up positive yet if you are pregnant). This important information will be on the packaging of the test.
If you have financial concerns around purchasing a pregnancy test, there might be free options in your area. Services such as Family Planning Australia provide free pregnancy tests.
You can find Family Planning Australia Clinics through their website.
Pregnancy test at the doctors: If a home pregnancy test comes back positive, you will need to see a doctor. You should see a doctor as soon as you can. You can book an appointment or go to a drop-in medical centre and ask for a pregnancy test. This can be a blood test or a urine test. If you’re unsure about speaking to a doctor, see visiting the doctor and your rights at the doctor.
Step 2 – Seek support:
If you are pregnant, it is normal to feel a mix of emotions. You might be excited, scared, happy, sad, or all of these at once. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and there’s support out there so you don’t have to go through it alone. It is important to seek support during this time to help with the next steps and to know your options. You can get support online, over the phone, or you can contact a healthcare provider or youth service for support and information.
There are services and information available to support you:
- Family Planning NSW Talkline 1300 658 886: free and confidential counselling and advice for pregnancy options. You can also ask them to help you find your local youth health centre.
Appointments are private and your information won’t be shared without your permission.
Family Planning services are low-cost, and in some cases, free depending on your situation. - NSW Pregnancy Choices Helpline 1800 008 463. If you or someone you know is experiencing an unplanned pregnancy, the Pregnancy Choices Helpline can support with free, unbiased and confidential information on pregnancy options available in NSW
- Kids Helpline 1800 551 800: free and confidential counselling for people aged 5 to 25 years.
- Brave Foundation: great information on what steps to take and what to consider if you find out you are pregnant.
- Services for Aboriginal Families: Aboriginal Maternal Infant Health Service (AMIHS) provide culturally safe pregnancy care and support for you from the moment you find out you’re pregnant, or even before conception. Alternatively, you can contact your local Aboriginal Medical Service.
- PANDA: 1300 726 306 PANDA is a national organisation that supports the mental health and wellbeing of expecting, new and growing families. Find information, resources, stories and helpline for perinatal anxiety and depression.
- Gidget Australia Foundation Australia (1300 GIDGET) supports people who are trying to have a family, are pregnant, have a baby up to the age of one, have experienced pregnancy loss, or experienced a traumatic birth. Find information and support services
- Lifeline 13 11 14 Providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636 Beyond Blue Support Service is available 24/7 for brief counselling. Call a counsellor or chat to a counsellor online.
- Family Planning Australia Clinics Family Planning Australia clinics offers confidential, non-judgmental help with your sexual and reproductive health. In addition to free pregnancy test, they support people of all genders and all ages, whether you’re just starting to learn about your body or already have questions or concerns.
If I’m pregnant, what are my options?
Choosing what to do next may be a hard decision, or it may be easy. You may have been trying to have a baby or it could be unplanned and be a shock. Family Planning Australia have a pregnancy options booklet with information about support, helping to decide what to do and what options are available to you.
Talk to someone you trust, whether it’s a partner, family member, friend, youth worker or another adult in your life. It’s good to talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Think about your current situation, your goals and dreams for the future, and how your decision may impact these goals. The decision is yours to make and you have options.
It’s important to speak with a health professional (this may be a doctor, midwife or a sexual health nurse) who can explain your options and how they might impact you. You can access private and confidential support by talking to a nurse online at NSW Pregnancy Choices Helpline website or speak to them on 1800 008 463 between 8.30am – 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
Do I need to tell my parents?
That is up to you. There is no law that says you need to tell your parents if you are pregnant, or about what choices you make. You might be worried about your parent’s reaction, but they could be a vital source of support.
Depending on your age and circumstances, they might need to find out eventually. If you’re under 14, your parents usually need to give consent for medical procedures like abortion. If you want to know more information on what a doctor can and can’t talk to your parents about, have a look at the your rights at the doctor page.
If you’re not comfortable telling your parents, it’s important to find a source of support to help you. You could speak to someone you trust like another member of your family, a teacher, your doctor, a youth worker or a sexual health worker who can talk through your options. Find out more at Youth Law Australia.
Moving forward with the pregnancy
There are resources and tips to support you through pregnancy and when the baby is born.
Starting your pregnancy care early is an important way to look after yourself and your growing baby. As soon as you know you’re pregnant, try to make your first appointment with your local doctor or local maternity service. Pregnancy care appointments are called antenatal appointments. They happen regularly throughout pregnancy to ensure you and baby are doing well. Your local doctor, maternity hospital or Healthdirect can give more information about these appointments. There are different options available for your pregnancy care. You can visit the NSW Health website pregnancy healthcare-options page for more information.
Your doctor should be able to help guide you on who to connect with.
The NSW Health website healthy pregnancy page provides important information on having a healthy pregnancy.
If you are looking for support to eat well and be physically active, avoid alcohol and achieve a healthy weight during pregnancy and after birth, you can contact Get Healthy in Pregnancy. The service offers free phone and online health coaching support for people in NSW over 16 years of age. Register online or call 1300 806 258 Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, and Saturday 9am to 5pm.
Alcohol, drugs, prescribed medications and pregnancy
When you are pregnant, what you take, your baby takes too. Some substances can have serious effects on how your baby’s brain develops and how they grow.
If you are prescribed medication, make sure to let the doctor or medical team know that you are pregnant.
If you drink alcohol, it is important to know that no amount of alcohol is ‘safe’ during pregnancy and the safest thing for your baby is that you don’t drink at all.
If you use drugs, it is important to talk to a health professional for advice. If you have been using drugs regularly, sometimes stopping suddenly can be dangerous for your baby. The health professional will be able to support you to reduce or stop taking the drug safely.
For more information on alcohol and other drug use during pregnancy visit:
- Health services for young people
- Pregnancy, drugs & alcohol | The Royal Women’s Hospital
- Alcohol and Drug Information Service NSW (ADIS) – a confidential, anonymous information, advice and referral service 02 8382 1000 (Sydney) or 1800 250 015 (rural, regional NSW)
- Your Room – a place to get facts about alcohol and other drugs
Smoking and vaping are not safe in pregnancy.
Quitting smoking or vaping is one of the best things you can do for your baby’s health, and yours. Quitting can be hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. Free, confidential support is available to help you succeed.
Quitline 13 78 48 to speak with a trained counsellor. Counsellors are available in multiple languages and Aboriginal counsellors are available on request.
If you’ve tried quitting and it’s too hard, you might want to consider using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) as it is safer than continuing to smoke or vape.
- First try oral NRT (gum or lozenges), which is the preferred medication to help you quit during pregnancy. Take oral NRT after breastfeeding to reduce your baby’s exposure.
- Add NRT patches if oral NRT isn’t helping you quit. These long-acting patches stay on your skin for 16 hours. It’s recommended you take them off during the night (8 hour break each day).
Talk to your healthcare team. Your doctor, midwife, child and family health nurse or Aboriginal health professional are there to provide support.
For more information and support:
- Quitline 13 78 48 to speak with a trained counsellor. Aboriginal counsellors are available on request and counsellors are available in multiple languages
- Quit smoking
Safety during pregnancy
Domestic and family violence includes any behaviour in an intimate, family or domestic relationship that is violent, threatening, coercive or controlling, or causes fear for yours or someone else’s safety and wellbeing
Women and girls are at greater risk of experiencing domestic violence from their partner during pregnancy. You may experience this abuse for the first time, or it may get worse while you are pregnant.
Domestic and family violence may include pressure to fall pregnant and continue a pregnancy, pressure to end a pregnancy, and preventing access to healthcare during pregnancy.
If you are experiencing domestic violence, you are not alone, and it is not your fault. Domestic and family violence is never okay, and the person being violent is the only one responsible for the violence.
You have a right to be safe and supported, and there is help available. You can ask to speak to your healthcare worker privately and talk with them about the violence and ways to protect your safety. You can also seek free and confidential support 24/7 from:
- NSW Domestic Violence Line: 1800 65 64 63
- 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 732
- Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800.
Resources for partners
If you’re going to be a new parent and you are the partner of the person having the baby, this time can also be scary and exciting. Raising Children Network has some resources to help you along your journey, and how you can support the mother of the child. There is also text support for expectant dads through SMS4dads.
Abortion or termination of pregnancy
An abortion sometimes called a termination of pregnancy is a safe procedure that ends a pregnancy. Your right to have an abortion is the same as your right to have any other medical treatment. There are 2 ways abortion can be performed. One involves taking medication (medical abortion) and one involves a surgical procedure (surgical abortion) Find out more at Family Planning Australia.
If you want to end a pregnancy you will need to find a doctor or medical service that performs abortions near you. In NSW, some midwives and nurse practitioners can also perform medical abortions before 9 weeks of pregnancy.
In NSW, the Search Plus website operated by the NSW Pregnancy Choices Helpline can assist you find a service provider.
If you are under 18 years, the doctor or health professional will support you to make an informed decision and support you to understand the treatment and what is involved. For more information see Pregnancy Choices at Youth Law Australia’s Pregnancy page.
There is no requirement for the father to consent or be aware of the procedure, as parenting rights only exist once the child is born. If you are under 14 years, your parents or guardians may need to give consent for abortion. If you need help or would like support in discussing your options (no matter what age you are) you can start by contacting a sexual health service or a youth health service. You can also phone the NSW Family Planning Talkline on 1300 658 886, or NSW Pregnancy Choices Helpline on 1800 008 463 for non-judgmental and trustworthy information on your options.
After the procedure, you can receive after-care from the clinic where you had the abortion done, or with your doctor. If you choose to have an abortion, make sure you stay connected with someone to talk through it afterwards.