A
female
age
26-29,
anonymous
writes:I have a question about birth control. Im not having sex yet but I think I will be and one of my biggest concerns is getting pregnant and im scared to talk to my mom about it because i dont know what her reaction would be? but I really think i should strat taking birth control.. how should I talk to her about it? Reply to this Question
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female
reader, peeptoe +, writes (19 November 2010):
I am a mom of a daughter (waaaay to soon to have this talk with her, but this will be good practice for me!).
You aren't having sex but think you might be? What does that mean? Are you seeing someone and it is developing or you want to get on the pill to be ready eventually? If you have a boyfriend and you are going to start having sex, be certain he is "safe"--no former girlfriends or experiences where he could pass along unwanted diseases. Get him tested for HIV and other STDs, for sure. Use a condom anyway.
IF you are not planning to be sexually active, why would you want to be on birth control? Are you having physical problems that the pill could remedy? Painful or irregular periods are often treated by putting the person on the pill, for instance.
I think the others' suggestion to use condoms is the best option. SImple, effective and multi-purpose! If you are in a very commited relationship with someone you absolutely trust to be "clean", the pill could also work.
The pill is not as dire of a drug as Nime makes it out to be. I have been on and off the pill most of my adult life. I don't smoke and I am in good cardio vascular health. It is a fantastic option for most healthy women. It is great if you are in a committed relationship and want the convenience of not having to worry about birth control and to be spontaneous.
It does have side effects (good and bad). Your breasts my be tender when you first start as your body changes. Your periods will eventually less in flow and become infrequent (who doesn't like that?!?!). But different women will respond differently to it.
Once you talk to your mom, and if you decide to get hormonal BC, talk to a gynecologist about all your options. THere are some great methods out there that aren't a daily pill (depo, Nuva ring, etc.)
But if you are not sexually active, I would wait before doing anything that messes with your biology (hormonal methods). Let your body go through it's changes in puberty before you create further hormonal changes.
A
reader, anonymous, writes (19 November 2010): splevi...that is terrible advice to give a young girl about to have sex or in the future! Sure to a guy it's no big deal to check afterwards...but what about her, where her life will come crashing down when she gets pregnant!!
Sweetie, you are being responsible about this, and it's good you want the back up from your mum. Remember to find a guy you trust and love, as at a young age it can be the worst if you have a terrible first experience. It is better to use 2 types of protection, a chemical one, like the pill or depo shot etc, there are so many available! and the condom, external. Of course no way is 100% accurate, only abstinence is. Talk to your doctor, and there's heaps of info online.
P.S I am on the pill and I'm a teenager, have been on it a little while, and have only enjoyed the benefits! Many of the women around me are on it and they have no complaints!
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A
female
reader, Nime +, writes (19 November 2010):
 It's great that you're thinking of getting on the pill at your age! Some of the many common benefits of hormonal BCs include:
* hair loss or changes in follicle (thinning)
* weight gain
* migraines
* nausea and dizziness
* loss of sex drive
* irregular periods and/or spotting
* mood swings, anxiety and depression
* high blood pressure and cholesterol
* bone density loss
* vaginal infections
More serious (if you're lucky) benefits include:
* increased risk of certain types of cancer, like breast and ovarian (especially if there is a family history of these cancers)
* ectopic pregnancy
* blood clots
* stroke
In all seriousness, nowhere else in the world do women use hormonal birth control as much as women in America do. (This is not surprising, as we are a pill-popping culture. Did you know the average 30 year old in America is on 6 different prescription medications at any time?) Other parts of the world recognize that exposing yourself to synthetic hormones for so many years is dangerous and foolhardy. The copper IUD is the most common form of birth control in Europe. It uses no hormones, is much cheaper in the long run than the pill (it lasts 10 years), you can forget about it until it's time to get a new one (whereas on the pill you must remember to take one every day), and it's more effective at preventing pregnancy. Yet less than 1% of American women on birth control use this method. Like I said, it's a pill-popping culture. At your age you should definitely be using condoms to prevent STDs, but if you must go on birth control, please consider a non-hormonal method. You're going through puberty as it is, don't add synthetic hormones to the mix.
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A
male
reader, splevi  +, writes (18 November 2010):
 personally i think you should just stick to condoms, they are probably the most effective, hence the reason they are the most common form of contraceptive. be aware of the posibility of pregnancy but dont worry about it during sex. there are ways to check if the condom split after sex. like filling the condom with water after, if there is a hole then water will squirt out of the condom :)
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (18 November 2010): i personally don't think you should be having sex however as your likely to ignore that why not go on the pill and also use condoms, you need to be extra safe because if you get pregnant your basically screwed for the rest of your life unless you get am abortion in which case you could be very heavily mentally scarred for ever. Make sure you like the guy! And be safe if your going to.
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A
female
reader, tennisstar88 +, writes (18 November 2010):
 It's good you're thinking of it, but might I ask why you feel the need to be on it when you're not going to have sex? The only other time you would need to be on it is if you have irregular periods.
Might I add you are also under the legal age of consent to sex..it's 16-18 which varies per state. So please abide by the law and wait to have sex. You can go ahead and discuss the types of contraceptives that are available with your mother. But like I said unless you're sexually active (which you shouldn't be until you're of age) or your period is irregular then you don't need to be on a form of birth control.
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A
male
reader, dirtball +, writes (18 November 2010):
 This is very mature of you. Congratulations. This will be an uncomfortable conversation most likely for both of you. I always believe that it's best if you know what you're talking about before hand. Do a little research about birth control. Is there a particular kind you're interested in? The pill? Depo shot?
Birth control not only prevents pregnancy but can also regulate your period and sometimes clear up moderate acne. There are other benefits.
When you talk to your mom, tell her you are not sexually active, but you think this is important.
Good luck. Hopefully some of the moms here will weigh in and give you some motherly advice too. Again, excellent job at thinking ahead and being responsible.
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