If a girl misses her period after having unprotected sex, she can take a pregnancy test.

The pregnancy test is a strip of paper that contains an indicator of the pregnancy hormone, hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). However, this hormone will only begin to be produced after a certain amount of time following fertilization. A pregnancy test will become positive usually after missing your period, NOT before. Therefore, it is a good idea to take it about three days after you were supposed to get your period.

The test is most accurate when using first morning urine in which there will be the highest concentration of the pregnancy hormone. Catch the urine in a small container, like an old pill bottle, and then dip the strip into it according to the instructions on the box. Before testing yourself, make sure to carefully read the instructions attached to the packaging. The test can be a false positive, it will show you are pregnant even though you aren't OR there can be a false negative where it shows you're not pregnant, even though you are. A pregnancy test can be bought online or at a pharmacy.

First, you should tell your parents. Even if you think they won't be able to help or that they will be angry, you can be sure that they will be the ones who are best able to advise, support, and understand the situation. If your girlfriend is indeed pregnant and you have a reliable partner, you can discuss the possibilities with you parents and decide to get married raise the child in a classical family. However, you don't have to get married to be able to raise the child together. If the father of the child does not want the responsibility of being a parent, then it is up to the girl if she wants to raise the child alone with her family, if she will give the child up for adoption, or if she will decide to terminate the pregnancy.

If a girl becomes unintentionally pregnant and does not want to carry the child to term, she can choose to terminate the pregnancy. This procedure is called an abortion. An abortion should be performed as soon as possible, ideally by the 8 week of pregnancy or 56 days after the first day of your last period.

However, depending on the state you live in, you may be able to have the abortion later as well, usually to the end of the 12th week. In the early phases of pregnancy, the fetus will be removed by a suction device. In the later phases of pregnancy it is removed by a curette. If you are in the early stages of your pregnancy, you may also be able to take an abortion pill which is given at a clinic where the woman can be observed in case of complications (allergies etc.). She will then have to have a follow up.

Termination of pregnancy is not something that should be decided on a whim and without medical advice. If you choose to have an abortion, you should consult which method should be used with your doctor . They will be able to tell you the pros and cons of each method. Sometimes, an abortion is carried out due to a medical condition that the mother has, but that's another chapter.

What if you girlfriend decides to have an abortion, but you want the child as the father?

You should have an honest conversation about this to see if you can come to an agreement upon how the child could be raised.

It's important to be familiar with your girlfriend's family dynamic and what kind of values they hold. If they are different than yours, in a situation such as abortion, these could cause an impasse in your relationship.