What are the signs of pregnancy at 16? Consequences and ways to avoid

Reasons why women get pregnant at the age of 16

Females at the age of 16 are still too young in both awareness and body development, which is completely unsuitable for pregnancy. However, there are still not a few minors at the age of 16 who are pregnant, causing concern to their families, schools and society.

Reasons for getting pregnant at the age of 16

At the age of 16, children have many changes both psychologically and physiologically, and their love and sexual instincts begin to emerge. However, adolescents’ access to official sources of information on sexual and reproductive health is limited.

Most parents of teenage children are quite shy and avoid when their children ask about reproductive health issues. At the same time, the school side also rarely mentioned reproductive health education.

There are many other factors that cause children to become pregnant at the age of 16 such as the influence of trends among young people, living loosely, not understanding the consequences of unwanted pregnancy, becoming pregnant at a young age, etc.

Massively objectionable movies on social media can spark early sexuality in adolescents.

Children are not taught ways to protect themselves, causing sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.

The risks to face when pregnant at the age of 16

Getting pregnant too early at 16 can expose girls to the following risks:

Risks of continuing pregnancy and childbirth

Pregnancy too early at the age of 16 will lead to dangerous health complications such as: Ease of miscarriage, premature birth, pregnancy toxicity, high risk of maternal death. At the same time, children of immature mothers also have much higher rates of morbidity and mortality than babies of adult mothers.

Teenage pregnancy will disrupt schooling, financial difficulties to cover life. On top of that, having children and getting married too soon can lead to high divorce rates and discrimination. Early motherhood is very susceptible to stress, psychological crisis and emotional damage if happiness is not complete.

Risks of terminating a pregnancy

Many teenage children, because of shame and guilt, choose to have an abortion. However, the bodies of babies at this age are not fully developed, so abortion can cause many dangerous complications such as bleeding, vaginal infection, even infertility. Not only that, abortion also affects psychology for a long time.

Recognizing signs of pregnancy at the age of 16

Immediately after successful conception, a young mother may experience one of the following common symptoms:

Late period

Once pregnant, the mother will no longer have periods like a normal cycle because the egg has implanted in the uterus. Instead, the body will produce the hormone HCG to thicken the uterine lining, nourish the fetus, and maintain pregnancy.

Determining exactly how long it takes to get pregnant is quite difficult, because each person’s menstrual cycle will be different. However, if the mother is 5-7 days late for her period during intercourse, it is very likely that she will be pregnant.

Breasts change

The next obvious sign of pregnancy is the change in breast size. The reason is that after successful conception and implantation in the uterus, it will increase hormones and blood flow to the breasts. Therefore, this part will be larger than usual.

Nausea

Nausea, morning sickness are typical manifestations of pregnant women in the first 3 months of pregnancy. Nausea can happen at any time, day or night. Women often feel nauseous after smelling food or after eating.

Currently, there is no research to determine the exact cause of morning sickness during pregnancy. However, there are many theories that morning sickness is related to an increase in the pregnancy hormones Estrogen and HCG. In addition, increased thyroid hormone Thyroxine can also cause morning sickness.

Morning sickness is a sign of pregnancy, although it is not dangerous for both mother and fetus. However, if the condition of morning sickness is severe, it will make the mother always feel tired, physically weak and affect the development of the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women should pay attention to get enough rest, supplement with a variety of nutrients during this period.

Vaginal discharge a lot

Vaginal discharge is one of the common signs of pregnancy at the age of 16. During pregnancy, the vaginal area will produce more discharge than usual, milky white in color. This phenomenon is considered normal and does not affect the health of the pregnant mother and the fetus.

However, if you notice a foul-smelling vaginal discharge that is green, yellow, or brown, you should seek medical attention immediately. Because this is a warning that you may be suffering from dangerous gynecological diseases.

Bleeding leopard

Bleeding indicates pregnancy is a sign of pregnancy at the age of 16 when the embryo moves and attaches to the wall of the uterus. This condition usually occurs only in the first 3 months of pregnancy. In fact, about 25–30% of pregnant women experience spotting or bleeding during the first few days of pregnancy.

Currently, there are still many people who easily confuse bleeding during pregnancy with menstrual bleeding. You can easily distinguish between the two by noting the color and amount of blood. Bleeding during pregnancy is usually quite small, the blood is brown or light pink, not dark red or bright red like menstruation.

Peeing a lot

When conception is 2-3 weeks, mothers will have signs of urinating more than usual, especially at night. It is caused by an enlarged uterus, compression of the bladder, and a sudden increase in pregnancy HCG levels. The frequency of mother’s urination will increase more and more towards the end of pregnancy as the fetus grows larger and larger.

Note: The mother’s frequent urination is not only a sign of pregnancy but also a warning that the excretory system has problems or is suffering from diseases such as cystitis, urinary tract infection, kidney failure, etc. .. Therefore, when the mother appears to have frequent urination with abnormal symptoms such as frequent urination, urinary incontinence, etc., she should take the initiative to visit the doctor as soon as possible. Because this will help the mother detect and treat promptly if there is a disease of the excretory system.

Slight increase in body temperature

During pregnancy, the mother’s body temperature will increase slightly in the first 3 months of pregnancy, usually by about 0.5 degrees Celsius. The cause of this increase in body temperature is the increased level of the hormone progesterone. When you see a slight increase in body temperature, you do not need to be too worried and do not need to take medicine, just drink a lot of water. If you regularly monitor your body temperature, you will easily recognize this sign of pregnancy.

Stomach bloating, flatulence

During pregnancy, the mother’s intestinal muscles will gradually loosen due to the increase of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. The increase of these two hormones will cause the digestive system to contain more gas than usual, causing digestion to slow down. Stomach bloating, flatulence during pregnancy only causes discomfort, so pregnant women do not need to worry too much.

Constipation

When you’re pregnant, your body releases a lot of the hormone Progesterone. The amount of hormone Progesterone secreted much will affect the functioning of the digestive system, intestinal motility and the process of excreting waste. Therefore, many pregnant women will experience constipation during the first 3 months of pregnancy. To overcome this situation, the mother should drink enough water that the body needs, eat a lot of green vegetables and fruits.

Tired

When conception is successful, progesterone levels in the body will begin to increase rapidly and continue to increase throughout the first 3 months. Progesterone is a substance that prevents uterine contractions, maintains the hormones of pregnancy, and suppresses the early immune response. However, the increase in progesterone during pregnancy can make you feel tired and exhausted.

Sensitive to taste

During pregnancy, pregnant women are quite sensitive to taste much more than usual. She even became uncomfortable and nauseous even with the flavors she used to love. The cause of this phenomenon is due to the increased levels of sensory hormones in the body, making the mother more sensitive to odors. Usually this condition will last during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Craving or not wanting to eat

Craving or loss of appetite is one of the pregnancy signs during the first 3 months of pregnancy. This is due to an increase in the amount of hCG hormone in the body. An increased amount of hCG may cause one mother to crave food, but cause a loss of appetite in another. Usually, the mother’s loss of appetite and unwillingness to eat is due to morning sickness and sensitivity to the scent of food.

Stomach aching

During the first period of pregnancy, the baby will have a dull pain in the lower abdomen. The main reason is due to successful conception and implantation in the uterine wall. This abdominal pain only appears in the first 2-3 days of pregnancy and then gradually disappears.

How to determine the most accurate way to get pregnant at the age of 16?

Currently, adolescents can most accurately determine the likelihood of pregnancy through the following 3 ways:

Supersonic

Ultrasound is the most accurate method to detect and conclude that a mother is pregnant. However, pregnancy ultrasound only shows results for fetuses above 6 weeks of age and less than not.

Therefore, when the pregnancy is less than 6 weeks, the mother should choose to take a test or blood test to determine whether she is pregnant or not. In addition to the time when you should go for an ultrasound to know if you are pregnant or not, you should also note some important fetal ultrasound milestones as follows:

• 12 weeks pregnant: You should have a pregnancy test to assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities.
• 22 weeks pregnant: This time will help the mother accurately detect possible birth defects and monitor the health of the fetus.
• Pregnancy reaches 32 weeks: The ultrasound at this time will help assess the prenatal status of the fetus including: amniotic fluid, placenta, development and make conclusions about the mother’s birth.

Use a pregnancy test

Using a pregnancy test is one of the fastest methods of determining pregnancy that many people choose. Pregnancy test will help diagnose pregnancy or not through the amount of Beta-hCG in the urine. Normally, pregnancy test strips will give accurate results up to 97%  if used correctly and at the right time.

According to the advice of doctors, mothers should take a pregnancy test within 1-2 weeks after having sex. For those who have a stable menstrual cycle, you can take the test about 1 week after your period is late.

To get the most accurate pregnancy test results, you should try it early in the morning after waking up. When the pregnancy test shows 1 line, it means that the mother is not pregnant. On the contrary, if the stick appears 2 lines, it means that the mother is pregnant.

Blood tests

A blood test is a relatively common method of diagnosing pregnancy with up to 100% accuracy. With this method, the doctor will take a blood sample of the mother and bring it to test the concentration of Beta-hCG in the blood to give the results. This pregnancy test will need to wait about 90 minutes, not as fast as using a pregnancy test.

According to the doctor’s recommendation, the mother can go to a medical facility for a blood test after having sex for 7-14 days.

The results of pregnancy diagnosis based on Beta-hCG levels will be described as follows:

• Beta-hCG concentration <5mIU/ml: Not enough evidence to conclude pregnancy.
• Beta-hCG level >25mIU/ml: Definitely pregnant
• Beta-hCG levels from 5-25mIU/ml: It is necessary to re-test after 48 hours to get accurate conclusions.

Pregnant women at the age of 16 what to do?

In the case of girls who miss a pregnancy at the age of 16, they should sit down and talk with their families instead of making their own decisions. Through the conversation, the young mother will be able to make the most informed and safe decision possible for her family. If the family wants to keep and is ready to raise the baby, then have fun, try to take care of your health to have a healthy pregnancy. And if the health is guaranteed and the family does not want to keep it, they can choose the abortion option. However, the family should take the girl to a reputable medical facility for thorough advice to minimize the risks during the abortion process.

Expert advice: How to prevent pregnancy at 16

When having a child at the age of 16, parents should care and spend a lot of time talking to their children about love. At the same time, families should coordinate with schools to fully equip children with knowledge about sex education and reproductive health. Because this will help them have the right knowledge and awareness to avoid unnecessary mistakes.

In addition, the functional sector needs to strengthen education and guidance on contraceptive methods, issues related to reproductive health, etc. When children are fully equipped with knowledge about sex and Reproductive health will contribute to preventing pregnancy at the age of 16.

Above are the 13 most common signs of pregnancy at the age of 16. These signs can appear more or less, severe or mild, depending on the condition of each person. Getting pregnant too early in your teen years can have potential health and emotional problems. Therefore, families, schools and society should take measures to propagate and strengthen reproductive education to limit early pregnancy in children.