In the Event of a Positive Pregnancy Test

Information for young women and girls

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In the Event of a Positive Pregnancy Test (203kB)

Getting a Positive Pregnancy Test Result

If you have a positive pregnancy test, it is likely that you are pregnant, but there are other reasons why the test could give a positive result.

Our staff will need to ask you about sexual activity, and whether it is possible that you could be pregnant. If you have been sexually active, the test will almost certainly confirm that you are pregnant, and you will be referred back to your GP. This leaflet provides information on what you need to think about next.

What if I haven’t had sex?

If you have not been sexually active, then we will need to consider whether anything in your medical history could explain a ‘false positive’ result. An ultrasound scan will be performed to exclude anything unusual in your uterus (womb) or ovaries which could affect the hormone levels detected by the pregnancy test.

This ultrasound scan can also identify a pregnancy, but it cannot confirm that you are not pregnant, as a very early pregnancy will be too small to see.

If nothing is identified on ultrasound, you will be referred to our Gynaecology Team for a follow-up appointment within a week or so. You will also be sent for a blood test called a ‘βHCG measurement’ which will help our Gynaecology Team to identify the reason for your positive result. They may need to refer you to another speciality doctor within Alder Hey, or depending on what they find, to the Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

If you are under the age of 13 years, and are sexually active, our staff are legally required to discuss your case with the Child Protection Team at Alder Hey1,2. If you are aged 13 to 15, our staff may need to seek advice from the Child Protection Team if they are concerned that you are at risk of sexual exploitation.

What if I am pregnant?

Everyone has different reactions to finding out they are pregnant. You will probably need some time to think and some information about what to do next.

When a young woman finds out that she is pregnant she has three main options:

to continue with the pregnancy and keep the baby
to continue with the pregnancy and have the baby adopted
to have an abortion

Choosing whether or not to continue with a pregnancy is a really big decision and some people find it helpful to talk things through with a counsellor.

Useful information can be found on the Brook website http://www.brook.org.uk. Brook is a registered charity and provides free and confidential sexual health services and advice for young people under 25.

Counselling is also available at a Brook Centre or at some family planning centres or young person’s services. Visit http://www.fpa.org.uk/find-a-clinic to find your nearest centre.

A counsellor can listen to how you are feeling, answer any questions you might have and give you lots of information and support to help you make a decision that feels right for you. All these services will be completely confidential, so no one will be told about your visit unless you say it’s OK.

The most important thing is to talk to someone as soon as possible. If you talk to someone at Brook they will help you to come to a decision that’s right for you without judging you and won’t tell anyone what you tell them.

Visit http://www.brook.org/find-a-centre to find your nearest Brook Centre or you can telephone Ask Brook on 0808 802 1234. Your call with be confidential

You can also contact the Gynaecology Team at Alder Hey for more information by ringing
0151 282 4587.

References

Pre-Procedure Pregnancy Checking in Under 16s: Guidance for Clinicians
http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/system/files/protected/page/pregnancy%20checking%20guidance%20final.pdf
The Sexual Offences Act, 2003 (c.42), The Stationery Office Limited, Crown copyright 2003: www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/pdfs/ukpga_20030042_en.pdf

This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.

This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.