I am 16 years old and my boyfriend is 17 years old we had sex for the first time
a few months ago. When I came home thAt night my mom was yelling at me asking me
if I has sex with my boyfriend. I told her no beciase I didn’t know the chances
were good I can get pregnant. How do I tell my family and my boyfriend about the
baby? I am 17 weeks so I should have told them a while ago! School Starts soon
what should I expect!?
Dear Samantha,
Thank you for reaching out to the YouthLine for help. This is very brave of you considering the tough situation you are in right now. I imagine you are feeling very scared and alone since you have not yet told your family or boyfriend about the pregnancy. The fact that you have contacted YouthLine tells me that you are interested in making a decision for yourself. My goal is to make sure that the decision you make is healthy and safe, and one that you and those around you can be happy with. There are options out there, not just one right or wrong answer. Keep in mind that in addition to being a minor, the decision you make regarding the pregnancy involves and affects many other people besides just yourself, so it is important that your family and boyfriend be made aware of the pregnancy. I understand that this is probably a scary thing for you, but at some point they are going to find out, so the sooner this can be talked about the better. In terms of how you should go about having this conversation, it’s tough to say. Have you thought about maybe having your parents and boyfriend together when you tell them about the pregnancy so that everyone can discuss it together? If you call the YouthLine, one of our teen volunteers would be happy to discuss this with you further in order to help you decide how you would like the conversation to go. You could even do a role-play with a teen to practice the conversation.
Now, just some things for you to think about: have you been to a doctor to confirm that you are pregnant? You said that you are 17 weeks along so it is very important that you receive medical care and guidance. If you do not have a primary care physican that you can see, I would recommend visiting Planned Parenthood where you can receive both care and guidance on where to go from here. I am not qualified to give you much medical advice beyond that, but I do wish you all the best and I encourage you to call the YouthLine to talk more about this and receive some support from teenagers who care. We have teens available to answer calls Monday-Friday from 2-7 pm. Our number is 1-877-968-8491.
-YouthLine