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Pregnancy

Think you might be pregnant?

Often, the first and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period, or for some women, a shorter or lighter period than usual.
 
Other symptoms may include:
  • Swelling or tenderness in the breasts
  • Feeling sick (often called morning sickness, although not always occurring in the morning)
  • Frequent urination
  • Feeling tired
  • Changes in appetite or going off certain foods

 Where can I get a pregnancy test?

If you have missed a period or suspect that you might be pregnant, you will need to take a pregnancy test. A pregnancy test can be carried out from the first day of a missed period using a sample of urine.
 
You can get a pregnancy test done for free at:
  • Any of our family planning clinics (link to clinic timetable)
  • Options clinics if you are 25 or under (link to clinic timetable)
  • Your GP
  • NHS Walk-In Clinic
  • Ambrose King (genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic at the Royal London Hospital
Alternatively you can buy a pregnancy testing kit to use at home from the pharmacy or supermarket. 

Got a positive result?

If you have got a positive result from your pregnancy test, it is almost certainly accurate. Negative results however, can be less reliable and you may be asked to come back in for a repeat test in a week.
 
Finding out that you are pregnant may give rise to very different feelings for different people and is not always good news. Some people may feel excited and happy, others may feel scared and uncertain. All of these feelings are normal. If you are pregnant there are four choices available to you:
  • Keeping the pregnancy and having the baby
  • Abortion
  • Adoption
  • Fostering
The decision about what to do can be a very difficult one, especially if the pregnancy was unplanned. You may need to consider your age, relationship with the father, family, financial situation, housing, and cultural factors amongst others. You can get advice and support with decision making from our clinics or your GP as well as friends and family.
 
If you want to continue the pregnancy, you should go to your GP as soon as possible to begin your ante-natal care (care leading up to the birth of the baby). They will arrange appointments with the midwife and scans as necessary.
 
If you do not want to continue the pregnancy or if it is not possible for you to have the baby, you can contact the Womens and Young People’s Service for further information about abortions. The earlier you contact services, the more choices you have available to you.

Pregnant and under 18?

If you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant and are under 18, you can contact our Under 18s Pregnancy Advisor. You can receive free and confidential advice and support around decision making. We will then continue to support you with the decision that you have made.