Dear Cocoa,

It's very important for pregnant women to see a health care provider to make sure they are healthy and their fetuses are developing normally. Your friend is lucky to have someone like you who is concerned about her. It can be difficult to try to help someone if they aren't ready to help themselves.

Many teenagers find it stressful to find out that they're pregnant — especially if they don't want to be. The best thing you can do for your friend is to let her know that she doesn't have to go through this alone. Talking about how she feels can help relieve her anxiety and begin to make decisions about her pregnancy.

Hopefully your friend can talk with at least one of her parents, but if she can't, she can turn to a relative, a friend's parent, a counselor at school or at a clinic, or a religious advisor. Although it's great that she has you to talk to, she should also try to find an adult that she trusts. An adult may better understand the legal and medical choices she'll have to make.

In the meantime, you may want to send your friend to teenwire.com where she can find out a lot of information about teen pregnancy.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.