I probably don't have to tell you that this is the hardest and scariest things to do if you find out you are pregnant.  Telling your parents is something that you have to do though, sooner or later, and I would say that the sooner the better.  Believe it or not, your parents will probably be the ones who truly have your best interest in mind.  I can tell you right now, that the people who first found out I was pregnant were mostly into it for the gossip, not to see how they could be helpful or supportive.  Telling your parents will take a huge weight off your shoulders and you will have them to talk to (which can be super helpful).  Some parents may suspect that you are - like my mother, whose intuition actually made her ask me if I was before I even told her.  (You can read about how I told my parents in my story.)  Other parents may not have a clue so talking to them may be a little different than if you're actually asked.

If the guy who got you pregnant is involved, you both may want to approach each of your parents.  Other times, it is best if you did it yourself (you be the judge of how you think your parents would react.)  A letter to your parents may help you get everything you want out without messing up and forgetting to say something.  Sometimes telling one parent first may help and you both can tell the other one together.  Whichever way you decide to do it, be prepared to answer a lot of questions.  I was asked when it happened, how it happened, if I used protection, if it was my first time, what was the lie I told (because I always told my mom exactly where I was), where it happened, if I told anyone else, how long I had known, why didn't I tell them earlier, if I knew what I was going to do with myself, how I found out, how I felt, why I didn't talk to them before I had sex, why I didn't take the morning after pill, when I had my last period, if I knew that I did it when I was most fertile in my cycle, what else I had lied to them about, and the list goes on...those are only the ones I remember right now.  It turned into an incredibly emotional overwhelming time for us.  My mom and I started bawling.  She held me and said "this is why I always wanted to prevent this".

But anyway, like I said, be prepared to answer a lot of questions.  Have exactly what you want to say straight in your head before you talk to them. Practice it if you need to. Try to stay calm, refrain from getting into an argument, and  act mature.  If you've been thinking of solutions and of different ways to deal with your situation let them know.  If you've done research let them know that too. Write out your pros and cons (or print them out from my page) and prove to them that you are handling it the right way.  At the same time, let them know that you need their support and you want them to be involved and there for you during this very difficult time.  They should know that it is not all about them (because parents sometimes forget that you are the one who is actually pregnant) but it's important for you to also know that this is something that affects your whole family, so be conscious of that when talking to them.

I like to say "expect the best but be prepared for the worst."  Some parents who know that their child is sexually active and using a form of birth control may be excited knowing that they tried to prevent it and that no child is a mistake.  On the other hand, some parents may no longer feel comfortable with their child living in the house.  These of course are extreme cases and you should not expect this of your parents.  Most parents will be extremely shocked and disappointed, but overtime get used to the idea of having a little one around.  It may take time for this to happen.  You may get lectured for days, weeks, even months until everyone feels more comfortable.  Regardless of what you decide to do, this is the best mentality to have: "This has already happened and we can't go back.  Let's figure out what to do and go from here."