Posts this morning reminded me of how difficult and confusing it can be to be a sexually active teen, particularly if you have parents who you can not discuss things with. I have an adult son now, but when I was a teenager I had a steady boyfriend for several years, and we wanted to be sexually active. I was worried sick about becoming pregnant. My parents were telling me to be abstinent. Sometimes it is easier to say that to someone than do it.
I talked to all my friends and we went to the local Planned Parenthood. They did so much for me. I didn't just get birth control pills and a green light for sex as some might think. I had my first real physical exam including a Pap. I was educated on my period, on sex, on sexually transmitted diseases. I was checked for anemia, and I was, for the first time, helped to feel more comfortable about my body and to make a more informed choice about what I wanted to do with it.
I donate to Planned Parenthood now, 30 years later, because I still appreciate their services so much. Few other organizations in the US do more for women's health than they do. I'm so glad they had a clinic in my little hometown in Iowa.