Teen pregnancy, worried.

Hi there, It sounds like you are facing some very difficult circumstances. I'm not going to badmouth you at all, for the simple fact that I too was sexually active when I was your age. When I was 15, I had what I believe was a miscarriage, although I hadn't worked up the courage to take a test yet when it happened. So I could have been in your shoes. Have you confirmed that you are, in fact, pregnant? If not, do so right away. If you have confirmed the pregnancy, you have three the same three options that most women have: 1.) Allow your baby to be adopted by another family, 2.) Parent your child, or 3.) Have an abortion. I cannot tell you which is the right one for you, but with the information you have given about your age (15), support network (slim), and family situation (difficult and potentially abusive), I can suggest that you should consider an alternative to parenting this child. You have many many childbearing years ahead of you. Use some of them to further your education, build a tight and loving support network, and establish independence from your family. Your future children will thank you for becoming a stable and happy person before bringing them into your life! It sounds like you are not considering abortion at this time. I am pro-choice, which means exactly what it sounds like it means: I respect the choices you make about your body, and I respect your right to make them without interference. Many women who have had an abortion go on to become excellent mothers later in life. Some women report emotional upset afterward. It's not a decision to be taken lightly. Sometimes a woman will choose abortion if continuing the pregnancy would be unsafe for her, or if she feels unable to deliver a healthy child-- if she is struggling with addictions or is HIV positive, for instance. If you have a way to safely remove yourself from your family until the baby is born, you might consider adoption. Adoptive parents are out there waiting for a child to come into their lives to make them complete. Adoptions, unlike pregnancies, are ALWAYS planned, and the parents are typically middle-aged and financially stable. Adopted children are chosen children-- another choice I respect. Many adoptions can be set up well before the child's birth. In some cases, the adoptive parents are waiting in the hospital during the delivery so they can bond with the baby right after birth. Open adoptions have become more popular recently. This is where the parents send updates about the baby to the birth mom (& birth dad too, if present) along with pictures & etc. Sometimes, this even includes occasional meet-ups at a park so that baby grows up knowing his or her birth parent(s). I know that's a lot of information for now, but hopefully some of it helps you. Best of luck.

Oh, and I forgot to address another part of your question: how to get out of your house. It's a tough one, since you are 15, and I think you need to be 16 to become an Emancipated Minor (which would solve your family issue, but not your housing issue). Do you like and/or trust a member of the faculty at your school? Guidance counselor? Principal? School nurse? Teacher? If so, please start by asking to meet with him/ her. Start at the beginning, and tell the whole story, being detailed but concise. Try not to ramble, but don't shy away from the hard facts. If you family members abuse you, say it. Don't say they're just "mean," or "overbearing" or anything but the truth. Tell them "I'm being abused at home, and I recently found out that I'm pregnant. I need to live somewhere else so I can be safe." If you do not have a trusted adult at school, or if for some reason they don't listen, talk to the police. If you can get your boyfriend's family to agree to shelter you, the police may be able to legally enforce this arrangement. Or... they might be forced to return you home, especially if your parents had time to report you as a runaway. Hope this has helped you.