Realizing you are pregnant can be a scary and daunting moment. If you are a student, it may quickly be followed by the next question of “What will my parents think?” 

Before anything else, it’s important to know that you are not alone. Thankfully, there are local resources and options to help young women in your exact scenario. 

Sharing the news with your parents will most likely be a difficult task, so it’s important that you are confident in your knowledge to better equip you mentally and emotionally to share with them and receive their possible reactions.

Confirm Your Pregnancy

You will first want to confirm your pregnancy, especially if you have taken an at-home pregnancy test or are relying on common pregnancy symptoms such as tender or sore breasts, fatigue, nausea, missed periods, etc. 

At Women’s Care Center, we offer no-cost, lab-quality pregnancy testing and limited obstetrical ultrasounds to confirm your pregnancy. Having 100% confirmation of your pregnancy status can eliminate any mental “what ifs” and give you the headspace you need to move forward.

Give Yourself Time

If you have confirmed your pregnancy, give yourself a couple of days to process the news. You don’t have to make a decision right away, so it’s okay to take a little time to let reality sink in. 

This reality affects you more than anyone else, so if you feel your boyfriend or partner is supportive or you have a trusted friend, then you may want to process the news with them. One of the most important aspects is making sure you don’t feel alone and isolated. 

Think about what you want to do. Are you leaning towards abortion? Do you want to parent, or is adoption something you want to consider?

If you are struggling to feel comfortable sharing the news with anyone in your circle, you can schedule a no-cost appointment with our compassionate team who will help you consider your options in a pressure-free environment.  

Be Prepared to Make Your Own Decision

When you feel equipped to share the news with your parents, consider asking a friend to go with you, if you don’t want to do it alone. 

Make It Quick

If you’re nervous, you’ll be tempted to take a long intro to warm up to the subject. We recommend you just share it as bluntly as possible, along with any facts you have along the way (how far along you are, it’s been confirmed with a pregnancy test, etc). 

Be prepared for an emotional reaction. They will probably need time and space to process the news and then have a follow-up conversation, so be prepared for the conversation to go a number of ways, depending on how they handle surprises or difficult information.

Plan Ahead

If you are expecting heat or conflict with your parents once you deliver the news, we highly recommend that you meet with a knowledgeable expert beforehand to weigh your options before you feel pressure from a family member to take a specific direction. 

 Sharing the news of an unexpected pregnancy is never an easy task, but the more information and options you have, the more confidence you will have when that conversation happens.

Our staff at Women’s Care Center are here for you, so you can schedule a no-cost appointment to talk and learn about our different options for your pregnancy. We are here to help and equip you with information and resources so you feel empowered to face your future with confidence.