How to Determine if You Are Pregnant

The condom broke, you had unprotected sex, or you forgot to take your birth control pill. There are many reasons why a woman may be questioning whether or not she is pregnant. Though there are many symptoms that a pregnant woman may display, the only true confirmation of the result is a test.

Steps

 * 1)  Don't fret yet. If you have not reached the date of your next expected period, there's no need to worry yourself silly.  Your period may come as scheduled and you've had nothing to fret over all along.  If you have a missed period, or have a period that is lighter, delayed, or shorter, you may have become pregnant.
 * 2)   Get tested. If you are concerned for good reason, you can buy a home pregnancy test at your local drug store.  You can always ask your pharmacist for help with how to use them and when they start being effective.  Don't be shy, they are there to help you and are incredibly knowledgeable and professional.  Be sure to check that the test has not passed its expiry date and that you read and follow the directions very carefully.  Also, be aware that false negatives are more likely than false positives.  This can be due to the fact that the pregnancy hormone that is secreted in the urine of a pregnant woman may show up at later times, or not be potent enough to be detected.
 * 3)   See the doctor. The only way to really determine 100% if you are pregnant at an early stage is to see your doctor for a blood test.  If you reside in Canada, I advise you take this step first if you believe you're pregnant, as it will be the most accurate and you won't have to pay for the drugstore test.  If you are in the United States, perhaps trying a drugstore test first would be better and then you can confirm a positive result with a doctor later.
 * 4)   Avoid relying on "symptoms". A lot of women try to determine if they are pregnant based on a list of "pregnancy symptoms".  But this can create false hope (even phantom pregnancies) or false stress, since the majority of these symptoms mimic pre-menstrual symptoms. Stick to scientific, medical tests recommended by a doctor or pharmacist.  That way you'll get the accurate result the first time and can go from there.

Tips

 * Relax, whatever the result is, positive or negative, what you did or didn't want, you will be able to handle it if you're honest with yourself and stay true to what you wish for your life. Take a deep breath, and good luck sweetie!

Related Tips and Steps

 * How to Determine If You Had a Miscarriage
 * How to Choose Pediatrician During Pregnancy
 * How to Calculate Your Due Date
 * How to Know if You are Pregnant