Knowing that you are pregnant can be both exciting and overwhelming. This feeling will keep you wondering what to do after receiving a positive pregnancy test result. After all, you’re now responsible for another life! While it’s natural to feel a rush of joy and anticipation, you may also be feeling uncertain and overwhelmed by the changes that will face you.
Taking care of yourself during pregnancy is essential so your baby can grow and develop healthily. It’s important to make healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, and avoiding alcohol and smoking. You’ll also need to make sure you get enough rest so that your body can conserve energy for the growing fetus. (1)
Receiving a positive pregnancy test result is a life-changing experience. It’s normal to feel overwhelmed, excited, and even scared after receiving this news.
But don’t worry; there are plenty of steps you can take to ensure that you remain healthy and supported throughout your pregnancy. This will be easier if you have started preparing yourself for pregnancy earlier.
Early pregnancy causes the hCG hormone to rapidly increase, and home pregnancy tests can detect traces of this hormone in pregnant women’s urine. Home tests are rapid but not 100% accurate.
Let’s take a look at what to do after receiving a positive pregnancy test result
Schedule an Appointment with Your Doctor
The first thing you should do after receiving a positive pregnancy test result is to have your first prenatal appointment.
Normally, your doctor will ask you to have a blood test to confirm your home pregnancy test and to check for other health conditions that may affect your pregnancy, as well as discuss any other tests you may need to take to ensure the health of both you and your baby. You can calculate your due date with your doctor.
False-positive results can occur when hCG is not detected, either due to diluted urine (the test was not performed early in the morning) or because the test was performed too early.
Discussing all your health conditions with your doctor is important, as he can help answer any questions or concerns you may have about your pregnancy as well as provide advice on how to best proceed with prenatal care.
An obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN) can monitor and assist you throughout your pregnancy.
Chemical pregnancy (miscarriage) can occur after weeks of pregnancy, and a lot of women will be pregnant again after the first miscarriage. If it happens again and again, your doctor will ask you to do some tests to figure out why.
Make Healthy Choices
Once you have confirmed the pregnancy test’s positive result, it’s time to make healthy choices for a healthy pregnancy, or it would be helpful if you started preparing your body for pregnancy earlier.
This means eating nutritious meals that contain the daily needed amounts of vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, folic acid, etc.
So don’t forget to take prenatal vitamins, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly (under the guidance of your doctor), and get plenty of rest.
I explained what foods to eat and avoid during pregnancy in another article.
Avoiding alcohol and drugs (including cigarettes) while pregnant, avoiding foods that may cause fetal defects, avoiding undercooked foods, etc.
Following these steps will help ensure that both mom and baby remain healthy throughout the pregnancy.
Share your happy news
Sharing the news with your close family members and friends will bring joy to your heart when you see them happy for you.
Some pregnant women will wait about 12 weeks to tell the people surrounding them; others may share their news directly after receiving a positive pregnancy test result.
Pregnancy symptoms
After a few weeks of pregnancy, you will start feeling some early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, a delayed period, blood spotting, etc.
Some symptoms can be mild, while others may be severe and continue longer. For morning symptoms, for example, try drinking water with lemon early in the morning and checking for vitamin deficiency; that may help.
Always think positively and believe that your pregnancy will unfold as it should. It will go just as smoothly as mine. 🙂
Seek Support if Necessary
Whether it’s family members, close friends, or professional support groups trained to provide helpful resources and advice during this time, having someone who can support you through it is invaluable.
Don’t hesitate to ask for support during this period, as any help is greatly appreciated and will help you share your concerns and be relieved when you feel that you are surrounded by caring people.
The pregnancy period is precious and passes fast. This is the time you can prepare yourself for being a mom, the time to read and feel these precious moments that will never come back. Always keep in mind that soon you will find your baby in your hands and you will start a new journey full of love and care.
Read more about pregnancy and breastfeeding, feel the link between you and your baby, enjoy every moment, and know that you are precious and gorgeous.
