“I Just Found Out I’m Pregnant… Now What Do I Do?”
Finding out that you are pregnant, whether it is for the first time or a subsequent pregnancy, can bring a whirlwind of emotions. Many people experience joy, but you might also experience shock, relief, fear, hope, or worry. And that’s okay. A new baby is a big life change and that means different things depending on your situation. There is no correct way to respond to finding out.
Maybe you and your spouse have been trying for a baby for a while. Maybe you’re not in a committed relationship. Maybe this moment is planned and met with joy. Or maybe you have unsupportive family. No matter where you are coming from, we are going to work together to find a way forward.
First things first, we have to check-in on your pregnancy to see how far along you are and make sure both you and baby are healthy. So, we’ll make an appointment with your doctor. Ideally, you will book an appointment with your OB/GYN or Midwife. If you do not currently have either, you can find one that accepts your insurance online or book an appointment with your primary care provider who will then refer you to an in-network provider. If you do not have insurance, you can look into options like Planned Parenthood or local groups that provide reduced cost maternal care. It is also a good plan to look into reduced cost insurance, like MedicAid.
First Appointment
At your first appointment, your doctor or midwife will do a few things. They will confirm that you are pregnant. It is rare, but false positives can happen. Certain medical conditions, expired tests, and recent loss of pregnancy can cause a false pregnancy test. Your medical provider will also perform a physical exam, review you current medications/medical history, and run some lab tests. Typically, you will receive a complete blood count (CBC), a blood type and Rh screen, a urine test, a drug test, a hepatitis panel, a syphilis test, an HIV test, and a cystic fibrosis screen. Towards the end of your appointment, you will probably be prescribed a prenatal supplement. Sometimes you may be recommended to take a folate or iron supplement. At the end of your appointment, you will book your next visit and they might send you home with some literature. The literature often includes what types things to avoid like alcohol, caffeine, excessive exercise, certain foods, and smoke (even secondhand smoke is detrimental to your baby’s development).
Prenatal Vitamins
From the time that you find out that you are pregnant, there are a few things that you will need to start doing if you want to go forward with you pregnancy. If you have been researching what to do already, you probably know that your body will be taking extra nutrients to grow your baby and may have a prenatal vitamin in mind. If not, you can find one at your local pharmacy. You can also find a variety of vitamins online. Some popular brands are WeNatal, Needed, Ritual, Perelel, and Garden of Life. There are slight differences between each brand, but each have their own benefits. Buy whichever aligns best with your specific needs and make sure to take your prenatal vitamin daily.
Fill Out Your Maternal Care Team
From this point forward, you can simply follow along with your doctor’s recommendations and call them if anything is out of the ordinary. This is also a good time to make arrangements with a birth and/or postpartum doula. You’ll want to secure these additions to your maternal health team as early as possible. Many doulas offer prenatal education and access to a doula in the early stages can help your pregnancy go more smoothly. Doulas may be covered by health insurance in your area. If you cannot afford a doula, many (like me) offer services for low income families. Reach out to doulas in your area to see if they offer or know of any ways for you to receive discounted services.
If Pregnancy is Causing Difficulty in Your Personal Life
As we discussed in the beginning, many people have mixed reactions or complicated emotions around finding out that they are pregnant. This is natural. Many pregnant people, who may or may not want to be, find out that their pregnancy is not viable for one reason or another. Their are a variety of medical reasons that a pregnancy may not be viable, but there are environmental factors that may affect the choice to continue a pregnancy as well. Many factors can complicate feelings, such as age, financial situation, safety of a home environment, amount of space in the home, and the degree of support from friends and family.
If you need support to continue your pregnancy in a difficult situation, there are also resources available for you. You can reach out to local women’s shelters, pregnancy support groups, family support groups, Planned Parenthood, ask your doctor for resources, and find online resources as well (1, 2 ). If you need more help, you can always email me and I will do my best to help you find resources in your specific area.
If you find yourself unable to go forward with your pregnancy, there are many resources available to help you decide next steps. Reach out to friends or family that you trust for immediate support, reach out to Planned Parenthood or you doctor (if applicable in your state), and look at some resources online (1, 2, 3, 4) to learn what options are available to you.
