Finding out that you are pregnant when you hadn’t planned to be can be a very stressful time.

Suspecting you might be pregnant can also be very stressful. If you haven’t confirmed your pregnancy you can do this either by using a pregnancy test kit, which can be bought at chemists and supermarkets, or by  having a blood test through visiting a GP.

Feelings about pregnancy can be mixed and confusing, even when the pregnancy is planned.

Feelings can vary depending on a number of factors:

• being young and scared to tell your parents
• not having a job or enough money
• feeling pressure from a partner, friend or family to not have a baby
• being single and feeling unsupported
• being older and already having children
• medical or health problems
• the baby may have/has a disability
• previous pregnancy loss, including abortion
• the baby is expected to die

It can be difficult to work out a plan for the future with all of these conflicting thoughts and emotions. The hormonal changes occurring within the woman's body can make it even more difficult to make a decision. Friends and family can be helpful to talk to, but sometimes it helps to talk to someone who is outside the situation, someone who is willing to listen

If you are in this situation, we invite you to take advantage of our Help Line. It is free and confidential.

Some good questions to ask yourself:

• Is this my decision or am I feeling pressured in any way by any other person or circumstance?
• Have I explored all the options? It is important to find out all the information on the options so that you are able to understand your options clearly.
• What are my feelings?
• How might I feel in 1 month, 9 months, years from now?