• If positive: arrange an appointment with an obstetrician/gynecologist or local clinic soon to confirm the pregnancy, estimate gestational age, discuss your options, and begin prenatal care if you want to continue it.
• If negative but your period is late or symptoms continue: repeat the test in 48-72 hours or get a blood hCG test through a clinician. A negative urine test makes pregnancy unlikely, but testing can occasionally be too early or inaccurate.
• If you do not wish to be pregnant: contact a qualified reproductive-health/gynecology provider promptly to discuss confidential, safe options. Do not take unprescribed pills or home remedies.

1. Contact a licensed gynecologist, sexual-health clinic, or abortion-care provider as soon as possible. Earlier care generally gives more options. Depending on pregnancy duration and local law, options may include clinician-guided medication abortion or a clinic procedure. The WHO abortion information explains that abortion is safe when the method matches the gestational age and accurate information, quality medicines, and trained support are available.
2. Do not use pills from unverified sellers, herbs, alcohol, physical injury, or home methods. These can cause serious bleeding, infection, incomplete abortion, or delay care for an ectopic pregnancy.
3. The decision belongs to the pregnant person. Parents or a partner should not force or threaten them. If they are under 18, local rules on consent and confidentiality vary, but a clinic can explain confidential care and any legal requirements.

What you can offer

1. Confirm and assess the pregnancy
   • Urine pregnancy test, or serum beta-hCG if unclear.
   • Determine last menstrual period and estimated gestational age.
   • Assess symptoms and risk factors for ectopic pregnancy.
   • Ultrasound if dates are uncertain, there is pain/bleeding, ectopic risk, or it is required by local protocol.
   • Check relevant history: medical illnesses, medications, allergies, obstetric history, contraception, STI risk, and blood group/Rh status according to local practice.
2. Screen for emergencies first Refer urgently or send to emergency care for:
   • One-sided or severe pelvic/abdominal pain
   • Heavy bleeding, fainting, dizziness, shoulder-tip pain
   • Fever or signs of sepsis
   Mifepristone/misoprostol does not treat ectopic pregnancy, so suspected ectopic pregnancy requires separate evaluation.
3. Provide pregnancy-options counselling Explain all options without pressure:
   • Continue pregnancy and parent
   • Continue pregnancy and adoption/kinship care
   • End the pregnancy through lawful medication abortion or uterine aspiration/procedural abortion
   Textbook guidance similarly frames counselling for unintended pregnancy around parenting, adoption, and medication or aspiration abortion.
4. If the patient chooses abortion
   • Confirm eligibility under your local law, facility protocol, and your clinical scope.
   • Provide the permitted method yourself, if trained and credentialed, or make a prompt referral to a legitimate abortion provider/gynecologist.
   • Discuss what to expect, pain control, bleeding, follow-up, warning signs, and how to access urgent care.
   • Obtain the patient’s informed consent. A parent, partner, or family member should not coerce the decision.
5. If the patient chooses to continue
   • Begin antenatal care promptly.
   • Start folic acid, review medicines and exposures, offer indicated infection screening, and provide social-work or financial-support referral where needed.
   • Discuss adoption services if that is the patient’s preference.
6. Offer post-abortion or post-pregnancy contraception
   • Discuss the patient’s reproductive goals and offer an effective method before discharge or at follow-up when appropriate.
   • Offer STI testing and safer-sex counselling where relevant.

Important communication point

Before offering MTP

• Confirm pregnancy.
• Establish gestational age from LMP, with ultrasound if dates are uncertain, symptoms suggest ectopic pregnancy, or clinically indicated.
• Exclude ectopic pregnancy, especially with unilateral pain, bleeding, dizziness, fainting, or shoulder-tip pain.
• Assess anemia, comorbidities, medications, allergy, bleeding disorder/anticoagulants, long-term systemic steroid use, IUD in situ, and Rh status as per local protocol.
• Obtain voluntary informed consent from the pregnant person and document counselling.
• Offer contraception and STI services.

India: legal points to remember

• Up to 20 weeks: opinion of one Registered Medical Practitioner is generally required.
• 20-24 weeks: permitted for specified categories under the Act, generally requiring opinions of two RMPs.
• Beyond 24 weeks: generally only for substantial fetal anomaly as determined through the Medical Board, except where immediate termination is necessary to save the pregnant person’s life.
• For an adult with decision-making capacity, only the pregnant person’s consent is required. Husband or parents’ consent is not required.
• If the patient is under 18 years or is legally considered mentally ill, written consent of the guardian is required.
• Provide MTP only in an approved facility and within your legal authorization, training, and institutional protocol.