10 Signs Your Teen May Be Pregnant

Perhaps nothing can prepare parents for the possibility that their teen may be pregnant, and for many unsuspecting parents, a teen pregnancy can come as a shock, leaving parents unprepared and uncertain. Parents who learn to recognize some of the possible early warning signs of teen pregnancy can, however, become better prepared to deal with an unplanned pregnancy and assist their teen with making one of the toughest life decisions that most teens could ever face.

Early warning signs that a teen may be pregnant can vary, though many teens will exhibit at least a few, if not a combination of signs when they discover that they are pregnant. Teen pregnancy can be a serious emotional ordeal for most teens, and many teens are afraid to confront their parents with the unplanned news of pregnancy. Parents who are aware of a teen pregnancy earlier in the pregnancy can offer the much needed support to teens who are dealing with decision making issues. Ten of the most common warning signs that a teen may be pregnant can be a guide for parents who are concerned with the possibility that their teen may be pregnant.

1. Your Teen is Involved in a Sexual Relationship

Any teen involved in a sexual relationship is at risk of an unplanned teen pregnancy. Even the best forms of birth control do not prevent pregnancy at a 100% rate. If your teen is dating, there is always a possibility that a sexual relationship has begun. Parents who notice their teen is getting more serious with a dating partner may want to take the time to discuss the responsibilities and risks of beginning a sexual relationship with their teen.

2. Mood Swings and Irritability

Early pregnancy hormones can cause any pregnant woman to have a range of mood swings. Teens are especially susceptable to early pregnancy mood swings, since many teens are also dealing with the normal emotional moods that come with being a teenager. Parents may notice more emotionality with a teen who is pregnant. Sudden bouts of crying or extreme mood swings should be noticed and addressed. The added stress of discovering an unplanned pregnancy can add to the irritability and emotional displays of any teen.

3. Secretiveness

Many teens are afraid to share the news of an unplanned pregnancy with a parent. Teens often find one or two close friends to discuss their pregnancy with, and parents are among the last to know. Teens who are suddenly secretive while talking on the phone or are having long, hushed conversations with their dating partner, may be attempting to prevent parents from discovering they are pregnant. Though many teens are generally secretive about certain personal issues in their lives, pregnant teens are often more secretive and cautious about sharing their news, at least initially.

4. Missed Periods

Teens who have a normal monthly menstual cycle require necessary supplies. As simple as it may sound, one way for parents to become aware of a potential teen pregnancy is to become aware of whether their teen is using monthly sanitary supplies. If the box of sanitary pads or tampons is left untouched in the bathroom for more than a few months, it is likely that the teen has stopped menstruating, which is often a tell-tale sign of early pregnancy.

5. Changes in Eating Patterns

Changes in appetite can also be a signal that a teen may be pregnant. Increased appetite or decreased appetite for certain foods can alert parents that their teen may be pregnant, when combined with other early pregnancy signs. Some pregnant teens will show cravings for certain foods or aversions to foods that they once liked.

6. Increased Sleep or Exhaustion

Early pregnancy for teens is often marked by extreme exhaustion and increased sleep. If a teen begins to suddenly need a nap when they come home from school or after dinner, it may be a sign of early pregnancy. Normally active teens, without any other medical conditions, can be affected by extreme exhaustion due to early pregnancy. Parents who start to notice that their teen is more tired, sleeping more, or falling asleep at unusual times, may want to question if these symptoms are related to a possible pregnancy.

7. Change in Clothing and Wardrobe

Most teens who are pregnant will not begin to show obvious signs of pregnancy in a physical way until after the first three months, and some teens might be able to physically hide a pregnancy through careful wardrobe selections well into a pregnancy. Parents may want to take note if their teen has a sudden weight gain, no longer fits in their normal clothing, or if their teen has abandoned any tighter fitting clothing for loose or baggy tops or sweaters. Layering is often used to disguise a pregnancy, and looser clothing may be another potential sign that a teen is pregnant.

8.Changes in Relationships with Friends or Dating Partner

The crisis of an unplanned teen pregnancy can cause changes in friendships or in a dating relationship. Teens may want to avoid friends or a dating partner when they discover they are pregnant, in order to prevent anyone from discovering the pregnancy. Dating partners who are aware of the teen pregnancy may suddenly try to avoid the teen, whether out of fear, shock, or confusion. Parents should be aware of the normal friendships and dating relationships of their teen and pause with caution when sudden changes take place out of the blue. Though changes in friendships and relationships are not a certain sign of teen pregnancy, many pregnant teens may show signs of at least a few changes during a time of crisis.

9. Decreased Interest in School or Social Activities

Teens who are dealing with the shock of discovering an unplanned pregnancy may begin to show a disinterest in school or activities they once enjoyed. A preoccupation with the pregnancy and crisis of pregnancy is often a major cause for teens to take a sudden disinterest in their former life activities. Parents should be aware of anytime a teen shows signs of decreased interest. Aside from unplanned pregnancy, there are a number of other teen issues which could be related.

10. Depression

It is common for teens to go through a period of depression when confronted with a crisis, and an unplanned pregnancy can often be a very stressful and confusing time for a teen. Teens who are pregnant may exhibit signs of depression, combined with the other early signs of pregnancy. Teens who remain in an agitated or melancholic mood for more than a few weeks, without any other apparent trigger for the symptoms, should be taken seriously, Depression and unplanned teen pregnancy often go hand in hand.