You may see the first signs in her tension and tears or by the remnants of a home pregnancy test in the trash or your daughter may share her fears with you directly.
What is the best course of action when your daughter fears she may be pregnant?
While home pregnancy tests are undeniably convenient, tests by a doctor are much more accurate. Today, because of technological advances, a woman can know if she is pregnant a mere ten days after conception! This can be discovered via a blood test.
In contrast, the urine-based home pregnancy testing kits often give false positive or negative results–which can mean unnecessary grief or loss of valuable decision-making time.
Beyond ascertaining whether or not she is pregnant, this is a time to discuss sexuality and responsibility–especially if the pregnancy fear turns out to be a scare instead of reality. This is a time to discuss not only the positive aspects of abstinence (if a girl abstains from risky sexual activity or sexual intercourse, pregnancy scares are not part of her life) but also the necessity of sexual responsibility and safe sex practices. No teens should be having sex without the added protection of a latex condom and spermicidal jelly or cream. This will help to protect against not only pregnancy, but also against infection with the AIDS virus and some other sexually transmitted diseases.
At this time, too, your daughter needs your love and emotional support. Letting her know that you love her and will help her whatever the outcome of her pregnancy test is essential and can help in maintaining a good communicative relationship–even if you disagree strongly with her sexual choices and values.
Dr. Wibbelsman, M.D., is an award-winning author and former “Dear Doctor” columnist for Teen magazine. Chair of Adolescent Medicine for the Permanente Medical Group, Northern California, he is chief of the Teen-Age Clinic at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in San Francisco, and an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco Medical School. Dr. Wibbelsman is the news anchor for a Bay Area television series, “Medicine in the Nineties”.
