I was a sex educator for a number of years, and this question of whether or not to "put your daughter" on the pill makes me very worried. Most healthcare providers that I know would be uncomfortable with you forcing a reproductive choice on your daughter, and would not prescribe them unless she displayed interest. Maintaining an open line of communication with your teen is the best way to know if she is sexually active, and simply asking if she is taking preventative measures can give you information about what she knows. Show her resources that provide full, unbiased information about teen pregnancy and STDs and how they happen; schools don't always teach these things anymore. Let her put herself on the pill; you don't have to do it for her.
I'd say that the best way to get your daughter to be protected against both pregnancy and STDs is by giving her comprehensive information about her risks and behaviors, as well as all of her options. Taking her to a local planned parenthood office is a good way to get plenty of information and pamphlets and such. She may find that being on oral contraceptives is inconvenient and that there are better ways to protect herself (what good is the pill if you forget to take it, for example?)
When I worked in a teen clinic, we always advised the "double-dutch" method of protection for all girls, with a hormonal (pill, shot, patch, ring, IUD, implant) as well as a barrier (condom, female condom, dental dam) in place at every sexual encounter. This ensures an extremely low risk of becoming pregnant, as well as contracting most sexually transmitted diseases.
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I was a sex educator for a number of years, and this question of whether or not to "put your daughter" on the pill makes me very worried. Most healthcare providers that I know would be uncomfortable with you forcing a reproductive choice on your daughter, and would not prescribe them unless she displayed interest. Maintaining an open line of communication with your teen is the best way to know if she is sexually active, and simply asking if she is taking preventative measures can give you information about what she knows. Show her resources that provide full, unbiased information about teen pregnancy and STDs and how they happen; schools don't always teach these things anymore. Let her put herself on the pill; you don't have to do it for her.
I'd say that the best way to get your daughter to be protected against both pregnancy and STDs is by giving her comprehensive information about her risks and behaviors, as well as all of her options. Taking her to a local planned parenthood office is a good way to get plenty of information and pamphlets and such. She may find that being on oral contraceptives is inconvenient and that there are better ways to protect herself (what good is the pill if you forget to take it, for example?)
When I worked in a teen clinic, we always advised the "double-dutch" method of protection for all girls, with a hormonal (pill, shot, patch, ring, IUD, implant) as well as a barrier (condom, female condom, dental dam) in place at every sexual encounter. This ensures an extremely low risk of becoming pregnant, as well as contracting most sexually transmitted diseases.
December 3, 2010 - 3:50pmThis Comment
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