I took the girls to their 9 year well-check the other day. Both of the girls are healthy and growing, and this year, no immunizations were necessary (yeah for them!). Next year, they will need a booster shot, and when they turn 11, the doctor suggests giving the girls the Gardasil shot. For those of you not familiar with what that shot is, you can visit its website for detailed information. In short, Gardasil protects against some forms of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) -- a known cause of some cases of cervical cancer and genital warts.
My point here is not to debate the merits of the vaccine, or whether or not the girls will get it. Tim and I will discuss any concerns we have with the data and then decide about getting it for the girls. They might get it at 11, or we might hold off on getting it for them. We'll figure it out in the next couple of years.
However, the whole thought of Gardasil got me thinking about unprotected sex, STIs, and teen pregnancy. The question I had for Tim was this:
Again, more information might be necessary here. Clinicians consider the morning-after pill emergency contraception. It can be used up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse, and can work in a variety of ways, depending on where in her cycle a woman is (woman is used loosely, here, as some of the clients using it are girls). According to many sites (and my own knowledge), the pill consists of progestin, a synthetic hormone similar to progesterone, which is found in the female body. The pill can inhibit ovulation, change the lining of the uterus (rendering implantation of an embryo impossible), and thicken cervical mucus (which helps block sperm from getting to the egg).
Tim had no hesitation. He would get the pill for any of the girls. He said that having a baby at say, 16, would impact them and us, and that it wouldn't be feasible for anyone. I, however, hesitated, and still am debating the issue in my head. I don't have a problem with the inhibition of ovulation or thickening of cervical mucus, but in my opinion, life begins at conception; blocking implantation of that embryo is blocking the potential for life. On the other hand, a 16 year old is not ready to raise a child -- heck, is anyone? She'd have to put all aspects of her life on hold, and in reality, so would we.
Why do I think of these things now? This has been spinning in my head for days, and really, I keep coming back to it. I think it is one of those situations that you hope you never encounter, and if you do, you use the information you have at the time to figure out the best option. In the meantime, Tim is stocking up on baseball bats and plans on showing off his swing to any suitors that might come over when the girls are older!
My point here is not to debate the merits of the vaccine, or whether or not the girls will get it. Tim and I will discuss any concerns we have with the data and then decide about getting it for the girls. They might get it at 11, or we might hold off on getting it for them. We'll figure it out in the next couple of years.
However, the whole thought of Gardasil got me thinking about unprotected sex, STIs, and teen pregnancy. The question I had for Tim was this:
If either of the girls came to us and told us they'd had unprotected sex the night before, would you go get them the morning-after pill?
Again, more information might be necessary here. Clinicians consider the morning-after pill emergency contraception. It can be used up to 5 days after unprotected intercourse, and can work in a variety of ways, depending on where in her cycle a woman is (woman is used loosely, here, as some of the clients using it are girls). According to many sites (and my own knowledge), the pill consists of progestin, a synthetic hormone similar to progesterone, which is found in the female body. The pill can inhibit ovulation, change the lining of the uterus (rendering implantation of an embryo impossible), and thicken cervical mucus (which helps block sperm from getting to the egg).
Tim had no hesitation. He would get the pill for any of the girls. He said that having a baby at say, 16, would impact them and us, and that it wouldn't be feasible for anyone. I, however, hesitated, and still am debating the issue in my head. I don't have a problem with the inhibition of ovulation or thickening of cervical mucus, but in my opinion, life begins at conception; blocking implantation of that embryo is blocking the potential for life. On the other hand, a 16 year old is not ready to raise a child -- heck, is anyone? She'd have to put all aspects of her life on hold, and in reality, so would we.
Why do I think of these things now? This has been spinning in my head for days, and really, I keep coming back to it. I think it is one of those situations that you hope you never encounter, and if you do, you use the information you have at the time to figure out the best option. In the meantime, Tim is stocking up on baseball bats and plans on showing off his swing to any suitors that might come over when the girls are older!
Comments
I would not hesitate to get emergency contraception for my daughter but I hope to instill safe/protected sex plan into both my kids. But, they are kids and do not always have the capacity to anticipate consequences. I hope they feel they can always come to us with questions and if they need help.
There was a girl in my senior year of high school who was pregnant and managed to keep it from everyone, including her parents until near the end of her pregnancy! When I graduated from high school in 1986, there were 8 girls in my class of 250-something who were pregnant or who had had children already. That was just my class and didn't count the entire school of 10-12th grades!
My mom worked for the school district and helped arrange home bound teachers for students who couldn't come to school because of illness or accidents etc. Pregnancy/delivery became a big reason for home bound services in the district. The youngest at one point was a 12 year old 6th grade girl who was pregnant. They kept her out of school because her classmates' parents didn't want her around their kids!
Needless to say, that all left quite an impression on me. The new spin is with all of the STDs that girls are dealing with in the mouth/throat because they think oral sex is safer than intercourse. Scares the crap out of me.
Sorry for the novel :-)