Am I Pregnant ?

                Finding out if you are pregnant .

Whether or not you've had a pregnancy test ,you should see a member of the maternity team ,such as your GP or midwife ,as soon as you think you're pregnant  .Being pregnant may affect the treatment of any current or future illness .Your pregnancy will be treated confidentially,even if you're under 16 .Your maternity team will advise you about the antenatal care choices in your local area .

The signs of pregnancy :

For women who have regular monthly cycle ,the earliest and the most reliable sign of pregnancy is missed period .Sometimes,women who are pregnant have a very light period losing only a little blood .

Other signs of pregnancy are :

• feeling sick :you may feel sick ,or vomit.This is common known as morning sickness  ,but it can happen at any time of the day.If you're being feeling sick all the time and can't keep anything down,contact your GP.
• changes in your breasts : your breast may become larger and feel tender ,just as they might do before your period .They may also tingle .The veins may be more visible ,and the nipples may darken and stand out .
• More frequent urination.You may also have to get up in the night to pee.
• Constipation.
• An increased vaginal discharge without any soreness or irritation.
• Tiredness .
• A strange taste in your mouth,which many women describe as metallic.
• Craving new foods,or losing interest in certain products that you previously enjoyed ,such as tea ,coffee,tobacco smoke or fatty food.

Pregnancy test :

Pregnancy tests can be carried out on a sample urine from the day of a missed period .If you're pregnant ,this is about two weeks after conception.You can collect urine at any time of the day .collect it in a clean,soap free ,well-rinsed container .

You can get pregnancy tests free of charge from your GP ,from a contraception clinic or buy it from the Internet,usually for a small fee.You can also buy do-it-yourself pregnancy testing kits from pharmacists.They can give a quick result,and you can do the test in private .A range of tests is available.The way they work varies ,so check the instruction first to make sure that you get the right result .

A positive test result is almost certainly correct .A negative result is less reliable.If you still think you're pregnant,wait a week and see a midwife or GP again .