At What Stage is it Safe to Tell Family Members I’m Pregnant? {Guest Post}

If you have recently discovered that you’re pregnant, chances are that you are bursting with excitement, ready to tell the world about your pregnancy. While such an instinctive reaction is completely understandable, you should consider a few factors before you inform people about your pregnancy. Ideally, the decision should be taken after considering both medical and personal factors.

Medical Concerns

When it comes to choosing the right time to tell your family members about your pregnancy, the most important factor to consider is the possibility of a miscarriage. Quite understandably, moms-to-be want to be relieved of that fear before they go public with the news. Consider a scenario where a miscarriage happens after everyone already knows about your pregnancy. It would be devastating for you to inform them that things did not work out after all.

Medically speaking, the first few weeks are crucial for the proper growth and development of your baby. Additionally, chances of a miscarriage are the highest during this period. Due to these reasons, most moms-to-be wait till the end of the first trimester (which lasts for 13 weeks since conception) before they announce their pregnancy. In most cases, this is the wise thing to do, at least by medical standards. However, a major part of the decision depends on personal factors.

Interestingly, miscarriage rates are significantly lower for younger women than for older ones. According to statistics, the chances of a 20-year old woman having a miscarriage are close to 20%, while the figure is more than double for a 40-year old woman. Therefore, if you are young, you have more reasons to be assured of a healthy pregnancy. On the other hand, if you are in your late 30′s, you might want to wait for a few check-up’s before you talk to your family members. Similarly, if you have had a clean reproductive history without any prior complications, you have a lot less to worry about.

Personal Considerations

Ultimately, the decision will depend on the kind of person you are. It goes without saying that your partner must hear the good news from you before anyone else. As regards with other family members, you will have the final say. If you are particularly close to somebody in the family, you can always share the news with them. Similarly, if one of your close friends knew that you had been trying for quite some time, it’s only fair that you make them a part of this joyous occasion.

If this is your second pregnancy, you will have to inform your first child as well. This is easier if your first child is a little older since he/she will be able to intercept signs of pregnancy. With younger kids, it’s a good idea to wait till the end of the first trimester. At such a tender age, their understanding of pregnancy is rather limited and they must be told only when you are certain about the health of your second baby.

These are only factors that should be considered in an ideal scenario. The rest depends on you and the kind of relationship you share with your family members. If you are a part of a very close-knit family, you can choose to tell them right away. This way, your family will be around even if things go wrong. Finally, be comfortable with your decision, whatever it might be. After all, you don’t want to stress yourself when you are pregnant!

About this article: This article has been written by Mary Murphy, the communications manager for Irish based website www.eumom.ie – Ireland’s largest online community website for mothers with over 100,000 members. The website publishes regular articles on pregnancy and also features a section with advice on getting pregnant. Feel free to visit the website and join our happy community – www.eumom.ie