Are You Pregnant?

If you are concerned that you might be pregnant, please call 1-800-585-3433 anytime to schedule an appointment for a pregnancy test. We provide a laboratory quality urine test free of charge as a service to women. A trained consultant can provide additional information relevant to your situation. All of our services are free and confidential.

How did I get pregnant? A woman becomes pregnant through sexual intercourse or other sexual activities when sperm from the man travels up through the woman's vagina and into her uterus. Pregnancy occurs when a sperm fertilizes an egg in the woman and the this living human embryo implants itself in the uterus wall.

Can I become pregnant without having intercourse? Pregnancy can happen any time that sperm is ejaculated or pre-ejaculated out of a man and spilled near the woman's sexual organs. There is no way to know the exact risk of pregnancy when this happens - no matter how it happens. Activities such as petting, oral sex or foreplay can still put you at risk of becoming pregnant.

What is a crisis pregnancy? A pregnancy can become a crisis when it is complicated by:
- School or career pressures
- Family tension
- Broken relationships
- Financial needs
- Health concerns

What Are the Symptoms of Pregnancy?

Every woman's body is different and you may have different symptoms. It is possible that any combination of these symptoms could mean you are premenstrual or that you have some illness. The only way to be sure it to have a pregnancy test.

The following is a list of common pregnancy symptoms:

1.    Late Period Many of the early signs of pregnancy are also symptoms of PMS.  How can you tell the difference?  The most telling sign will be a missed period.  For many women, especially young women, irregular periods are fairly common. These irregularities can happen from month to month. Although pregnancy could be a reason for missing a period, it could also be caused by illness, travel, worry or stress.  If your menstrual cycle is fairly regular and you're late, you may want to come in for a pregnancy test.

2.    Fatigue Fatigue is one of the most common early symptoms of pregnancy. In the first trimester of pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone dramatically increase.  This may cause you to feel exhausted.  Increased progesterone levels, decreased blood sugar levels, decreased blood pressure and increased blood production all work together to cause fatigue.

3.    Tender, Swollen Breasts Your breasts may provide one of the first symptoms of pregnancy. As early as two weeks after conception, hormonal changes may make your breasts tender, sore, or tingly. Tender and heavy-feeling breasts, darkening of the areolas and even more pronounced veins on your chest can be a first sign that you're pregnant.

4.    Nausea Morning sickness is one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. Unfortunately it can occur morning, noon or night.  Most pregnant women start to get nauseous when they're about 6 weeks along, but for some women, the queasies begin as early as two weeks after conception.  Nausea seems to stem at least in part from rapidly rising levels of estrogen, which causes the stomach to empty more slowly. Pregnant woman’s sense of smell is heightened, so various odors — such as foods cooking, cigarette smoke or perfume — may cause sudden waves of nausea in early pregnancy.  As you enter your second trimester the nausea will most likely subside.  In the mean time, try eating plain foods that will settle your stomach, such as crackers or ginger ale.

5.    Headaches Another early sign of pregnancy may be frequent, mild headaches.   Headaches are usually the result of changes in your hormone levels.  Ask your provider to recommend a safe pain reliever. 

6.    Mood swings Mood swings are common, especially in the first trimester.  The dramatic increase of hormones in your body in early pregnancy can make you unusually emotional and tearful.  Don’t worry; your emotional roller coaster ride will pass.

7.    Constipation Constipation is another common early symptom of pregnancy. If you're feeling a little bloated or backed up, it is probably due to an increase in the hormone progesterone, which slows down your digestive system.  This can lead to constipation.

8.    Slight bleeding Sometimes one of the first symptoms of pregnancy is a small amount of spotting or vaginal bleeding. This type of bleeding is called implantation bleeding.  It happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine wall — about 10 to 14 days after fertilization.  It is much lighter than normal and a few days earlier than your expected monthly cycle.

9.    Food Cravings If you notice food cravings that weren't there before, it could be your body telling you you're pregnant.  Food cravings are common in pregnancy. Like many other symptoms of pregnancy, these food preferences are caused by hormonal changes — especially in the first trimester, when hormonal changes are the most dramatic.

10. Dizziness or Fainting Low blood sugar or blood pressure can cause “woozy” episodes during pregnancy. Make sure you eat enough and stay well-hydrated.

11.  Frequent Urination Your body produces extra fluids during pregnancy, which causes you to have the urge to go to the bathroom more frequently.  You may also find that you cannot make it through the night without a trip to the bathroom.

Many women don't experience any symptoms until after they have missed their period at least a week or two. Nausea, swollen breasts, being tired or dizzy as well as frequent urination are common symptoms a pregnant woman experiences. Every woman's body is different and you may have different symptoms. It is possible that any combination of these symptoms could mean you are premenstrual or that you have some illness. The only way to be sure it to have a pregnancy test.

For many women, especially young women, irregular periods are fairly common. This means that the period can be delayed. These irregularities can happen from month to month. Although pregnancy could be a reason for missing a period, it could also be caused by illness, travel, worry or stress.

Learn more about what a preborn child looks like: CLICK

How Accurate Is a Pregnancy Test?

Our test is a urine based test, and is about 99% accurate. Other tests may vary in their accuracy. How does a pregnancy test work? Nine days after conception, urine based pregnancy tests work by picking up a hormone that your body produces when you are pregnant. If the test is done too early in the pregnancy, it may not be able find the hormone yet and result in a "false negative" test.

If Your Home Pregnancy Test is Positive

Perhaps you already have taken a "home pregnancy test" and it was positive. We recommend that you visit our center to get a urine pregnancy test to verify you are pregnant. We provide a laboratory quality urine test free of charge as a service to women. A trained counselor can provide additional information relevant to your situation. All of our services are free and confidential. Should you discover that you are pregnant, you do have many choices. Other pages on our site will give you more information on your options.

If You Are Not Pregnant

When a woman thinks she could be pregnant, it's a great relief to discover that her period has started. The crisis has passed and many promise to never "let it happen again." This promise can be fulfilled through abstinence (or secondary virginity)! Contrary to popular opinion, people don't go crazy if they don't have sex. Abstinence is an option that thousands of young people are choosing today. Here are just some of the benefits of this commitment:
- Abstinence is the only 100% effective guarantee that you won't get pregnant
- You won't get an STD
- You will be spared the heartache and pain that sex often brings to an unmarried person

Other women become more intent on using contraceptives to prevent future pregnancy and continue being sexually active. Few understand that many women still get pregnant even when using the pill or other means of birth control. Many times young women don't even enjoy the sexual encounter but agree to it because they want to be "close" and "feel loved". Men can easily push sex as a means of "showing" their love. The woman can feel obligated to in spite of the fact that she feels little pleasure. They don't realize that they deserve the best sex ever and that exists inside of a relationship where a man has made a commitment to her in marriage.

The truth is that continued sexual activity outside of marriage has serious risks besides pregnancy. Sexually transmitted diseases (or STDs) affect thousands of young people each year.

When you give a precious and most intimate part of you to someone who isn't serious about the relationship, you can find yourself alone with a broken heart. Anyone who really cares about you will be willing to wait and not push sexual activity.

Discover all you can about these issues before you make the decision to continue sexual activity. Understand that if you skip a period after sexual activity in the future, we are still here to help you. It's a great thing to learn about a topic before it becomes a possibility in your life. In times of crisis it's hard to think straight. In spite of your not being pregnant, educate yourself by visiting the other pages on this site or come in to talk with us.