We may deny it, hide our heads in the sand and pretend that it doesn’t happen but let’s face it: teenagers have sex. Putting morality aside — the number of teenage pregnancies in the United States requires us to talk about it. Life proves that if you don’t want your teenage daughter to get pregnant, providing information about birth control is more beneficial than locking her down in your house.
“There’s been an emphasis on talking to kids about abstinence and waiting to have sex, but when you look at the age of sexual debut, it hasn’t changed in 40 years,” says Dr. John Steever, a pediatrician at Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York City. “Our children are going to be having sex, and probably before they’re in a long-term monogamous relationship.”
Teen Pregnancy Happens
According to the World Health Organization, adolescent pregnancy is a global problem that occurs in high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Birth rates range from a high of 115 births per 1,000 adolescent females in West Africa to 7 births per 1,000 women in Eastern Asia. In the U.S., the rate was 18.8 births for every 1,000 adolescent females in 2017. That’s 194,377 babies, or 5 percent of all U.S. births that year.
“Teen pregnancy can lead to unexpected challenges that many families may not be able to meet on their own,” says Sarah Clark, co-director of the National Poll on Children’s Health from the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.
However, a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that early information about and access to contraception may help teenagers avoid unwanted pregnancy, according to study author Dr. Mara Murray Horwitz, a research fellow in Harvard Medical School’s Department of Population Medicine.
It’s Time for a Talk
It’s time to have a conversation, preferably in the family. Why? Because the atmosphere of trust without forbidden topics builds a bond between a teenager and the parent, and in such families, children are more likely to share their problems than escape from home or harm themselves. Your daughter should ask you what to do if she is pregnant, not her classmate who may advise something useless or even dangerous.
“The way to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy is to talk about birth control and healthy sexual relationships,” Steever says. “Parents can talk about abstinence, too, but if you talk to them, kids will have a much better idea how to protect themselves.”
The conversation should happen regardless of whether or not she’s in a relationship. Teenage girls don’t have sex only with their true love or long-term boyfriend. It could happen at some party with booze or even against her will or consent — if you think you can forbid her to visit parties, think again; teenagers are sneaky and you may never know.
Rather, “start early and have multiple small conversations to help them learn about positive, healthy relationships,” suggests Steever.
Birth Control Options
Here is a short list of the best birth control options for teenagers. This list is limited because birth control shouldn’t harm the health of a developing body. There are options for relationships, spontaneous situations or even rape. If you and your daughter decide that hormonal birth control will be best, take her to a gynecologist for a prescription.
Condoms
It is the best way not only to prevent pregnancy but to be protected from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Explain to her that if her boyfriend refuses to use a condom, it’s not good. Sensations shouldn’t be a top priority, safety should.
Spermicides
Spermicides work by disabling the spermatozoa. They don’t protect against STDs.
Hormonal contraception
This option is good if your daughter has a stable relationship, latex intolerance or hormonal problems. For a teenager, they should contain minimal doses of hormones. Oral pills, IUDs, implants, etc. are very effective birth control methods but they don’t provide protection against STDs.
Emergency pills
Emergency pills contain higher doses of hormones than any other birth control pills. There are options with lower doses of hormones, and they are preferable for teenagers.
