Teen Pregnancy/Expert Profile

Expertise

I can answer questions that pertain to pregnancy signs and symptoms, young girls having scares with being pregnant and often mistaking early pregnancy symptoms for menstrual symptoms, I have been there as well...I can answer questions about where to go and what to do if you have had any unprotected sex and have questions about Birth Control or testing for Sexually Transmitted Diseases. I can also answer questions about fiction vs. fact on if you could be pregnant. For example, a question like, "Can I get pregnant the first time I have sex even if I use protection?" My answer would be, "Yes you can get pregnant the first time you have sex, even if you do use protection...any time that you have sex there is some chance that you could get pregnant." I can also answer any questions that you may have on adoption and different types of adoption, or abortion.

Experience in the area

I have had a lot of personal experience in this area, as I have practiced unsafe sex before, and had a few pregnancy scares. I have even psyched myself out a few times into thinking that I was pregnant when I wasn't; as a lot of girls do. So in my mind there are no silly questions that you can ask about this topic... If you are unsure, then by ALL means, you should ask a question. I have also counselled other close friends when they had pregnancy scares, miscarriages, and were pregnant. I have been and taken various friends to Planned Parenthood, and have gone through their counselling process as well. I am also an adoptee, my birth mother was sixteen when she had me, and gave me up for adoption. Since then I have also met both of my birth parents, and keep in touch with them

Organizations

In High School I was in AFJROTC, Marching Band, Orchestra, and Colour Guard (aka Flag Team) I was also a volunteer for Teen Korps and worked with kids a lot. I have also been a volunteer Camp Counsellor for a Teen Korps volunteer project and Assistant Counsellor for YMCA Camp Surf. I have also been a volunteer for over ten years with Special Olympics, so I have a lot of experience working with disabled Children.

Publications

None.

Education/Credentials

. I am a high school graduate and currently in my second year of college. I am a Nursing major and after attaining my Master's degree in Nursing, intend to continue my education and get a Doctorate in Public Health Administration. I have taken various Science courses, including Biology and Human Anatomy/ Physiology, so I have been through sexual education more then a few times, and done research on my own to find out what is fact or fictional when it comes to sexual topics. If I am unsure about it, then I ALWAYS look it up, and provide a source of where I got my information.

Awards and Honors

I have received various Academic Scholastic Awards, and The nicest Person in Orchestra Award.

Past/Present Clients

Past and current "clients" would have to be friends that came to me for advice and help when they were having troubles with the kinds of situations that are dealt with in this forum. If I can't help them with something medically related, as in they are having stomach cramping and don't know why, or are having a ectopic pregnancy and need surgery, then I will always highly recommend they see a doctor.

What do you like about this subject?

I like the fact that people are able to come onto this web site and ask the questions that they need to, no matter what it is...

What do you still hope to achieve/learn in this field?

I hope to be able to apply what I learn from nursing and health here and vice versa.

Something interesting about this subject that others may not know:

A lot of people tend to forget about adoption, when they are having an umplanned pregnancy, and go straight to the option of abortion.

Something controversial or provocative about this subject

I think that everyone should be given sex education straight, and I find it disturbing that a lot of teens don't know some of the most basic facts of sexual education...