Pregnancy Advice


If you are pregnant you will need to get advice and support as soon as possible. This can be a very difficult time and you will need to make some important decisions - you can talk it through face-to-face with your GP, with the doctor at the Family Planning Clinic or with one of the SureStart Plus or Teenage Pregnancy Advisers. If you're 18 or under they will all be able to help you to find the right support.

SureStart Plus Advisers/Teenage Pregnancy Advisers are based in:
Redcar/Guisborough
Middlesbrough
Hartlepool
Stockton/Billingham/Yarm

If you're not sure who to talk to, you can contact your local SureStart Advisor or Teenage Pregnancy Adviser for help:

  • If you live in Hartlepool contact the SureStart Plus Adviser on 01429 239926
  • If you live in the Middlesbrough area contact the SureStart Plus Adviser on 01642 245539
  • If you live in the Redcar, Guisborough, East Cleveland, Eston, Grangetown, South Bank or Teesville area please phone the Teenage Pregnancy Adviser on 01642 479324
  • If you live in the Stockton, Billingham, Thornaby or Yarm area please phone the Teenage Pregnancy Support Service on 01642 527784 or visit www.knowtherisks.co.uk

If you're 18 or under and you want to talk to someone over the phone you can ring the Sexwise Helpline 0800 28 29 30 - this is a freephone, it's open between 7.00am and midnight 7 days a week - and you speak to someone who is used to dealing with young people. Although they're a national service, they will know where you can get support and services in the local area.

Many pregnancies are unplanned - unplanned pregnancies can happen:

  • When people have sex without using contraception
  • When they use contraception incorrectly
  • If the contraception fails

If this happens you have choices to think about:

  • You can keep the baby
  • You can have the baby adopted
  • You can seek an abortion


Continuing with the Pregnancy - if you decide to keep the baby or to have the baby adopted - you will need to make an appointment with your doctor for help and support as soon as possible - the earlier in your pregnancy you seek help the better for both you and the baby.

What happens when you register with your doctor

  • You'll get an appointment with a midwife (nurse with special training to deal with pregnancy and childbirth and the first weeks after birth)
  • Your pregnancy will be confirmed with a pregnancy test (if you haven't done one already)
  • You will be asked about dates of last period to work out when the baby will be born (about 40 weeks after your last period)
  • The midwife will discuss options for having the baby, which hospital, etc
  • You will be asked questions about your general health
  • You'll get advice on health during pregnancy - for example what to eat and what's safe for you and the baby in terms of medicines, smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs
  • The midwife will tell you about visiting the hospital where you will have the baby
  • The midwife will tell you about ante-natal classes (which give you much more information about what to expect, how to look after your baby etc - there may be special classes for young mothers - and you can take your partner, or a friend or relation to the classes with you)
  • If you are under 16 there will be special arrangements to help you continue with your education up to the time you have the baby and afterwards

If you want to discuss having the baby adopted the midwife will put you in contact with the local social services so that you can talk through the options and plans can be made to identify adoptive parents. But you can leave decisions like this until later in your pregnancy

There is also a special website on adoption, which you can look at:
www.doh.gov.uk/adoption