Many moms fervently hope that they never have to help their teen-age daughter through an unplanned pregnancy; however, even the most dedicated wishing may not prevent this possibility from becoming a reality. As WebMD reports, approximately 4 percent of all girls between the ages of 15 and 19 become pregnant annually. If your teenage daughter tells you that you might be a grandmother quite a bit sooner than you would have liked, tread carefully and try to keep your relationship with her intact.
Step 1
Be as supportive as you can. While your first instinct upon learning that your teenager is pregnant may be to lecture, doing so will only strain your relationship.
Step 2
Discuss the presence of potential pregnancy signs with your teen. Before she even takes a pregnancy test, discuss her symptoms, asking your teen if she has missed a period, has experienced nausea, is suffering from sore nipples or has felt unusual fatigue.
Step 3
Give the teen a pregnancy test. To confirm or deny your teen’s suspicions, turn to a pregnancy test. Purchase a simple over-the-counter pregnancy test, and take it with your teen.
Step 4
Take your teen to the doctor. Regardless of what her test shows, a doctor’s visit is in order. If your teen is, in fact, pregnant, prenatal care is vital to avoid potential issues including pregnancy complications and low birth weight. If your teen isn’t pregnant, since you now know that she is having, or has had, sex, you should have her checked for sexually transmitted diseases and likely put on birth control to prevent the occurrence of this issue.
Step 5
Seek the help of a third-party in dealing with your emotional issues. Teen pregnancy is taxing on the parents’ emotions as well. As KidsHealth reports, many parents have to struggle through emotional issues associated with their child’s potential or actual pregnancy. Instead of bottling up your feelings, speak to a third party, be it a professional or simply a friend, to deal with these challenges and get past them.
