Dispensing Contraceptive Pills for Minors without Parental Permission - Research Paper Example

The influence of media and peer pressure on young teenagers has increased incidences of teenage sex and teenage pregnancy. Additionally, sexually transmitted diseases are a huge concern among the youngsters in today’s world. There are various methods of contraception such as, condoms, ultra uterine devices, and contraceptive pills. “Laws changing minors’ access to abortion or the Pill alter the costs of preventing or terminating pregnancies” according to Guldi (817). Contraceptive pills are effective and safe for the people who do not indulge in intercourse with more than one partner as its only function is to stop pregnancy. Pills provide zero protection against sex related diseases like HIV, AIDs, Herpes, etc. As many teenagers have become more involved in sexual relationships with more than one partner, the use of condoms should be encouraged as they provide protection against unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education both at school and home are a requirement today. Parents need to be open to discuss the topic with their young children when they reach puberty; parents need to educate their children not only on various contraceptives but also on sexually transmitted diseases and protection against them. Teenage girls should also be warned about health issues of teenage pregnancy and sex-related scams. However, there are laws that support the idea of not involving parents to sell contraceptive pills which has been acceptable. Teenagers need good counseling either by a health expert, teachers or parents who are well versed with the effects and side effects of various contraception methods available in the market; they should also be encouraged by their parents and elders to ask questions and if possible they should be counseled in such a way that they do not indulge in early sex. This could be done by a health consultant or any elder at home with whom the young teen is comfortable opening up with. The teenager should not be offended by the elders at home and also should be also not given the idea that he is doing something wrong. This can be done by making him or her feel comfortable and the parents need to be open to any question that pops up. “In addition to knowing the common physical complaints and problems of teenagers, an understanding of the cognitive, emotional and psychosocial development that occurs during adolescence is essential for successful treatment and management of teenage patients” (Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine, 592) The question of parents being involved for the purchase of contraceptives is a tricky one, as most parents are not open to their kids about “sex” and related topics. Teenagers also typically dislike their parents’ involvement in their personal lives. Usually the reaction of a parent is very negative about the fact that their teenager has become sexually active. This also upsets the parent as parents are very protective of their child. This is seen usually in the girls’ case. However, if parents’ permission is made necessary, it may discourage them to use contraceptives or protection leading to problems like teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and the like. Also, if parents are not aware of their child’s activities, it may lead to various problems like taking the wrong pills and other problems like sex tapes, etc. There are many pills today that do not have major side effects on teenagers when compared to elders: “Life threatening cardiovascular complications are particularly uncommon in the teenage population.”(Clinical Pediatrics 339). However, guidance is required and suitable pills need to be subscribed by a health consultant or a doctor. There is hardly any scope for parent’s involvement if youngsters are consulting a physician or a health expert for guidance. The fear of parental acknowledgement is quite high in adolescents, due to which they may prefer not to use contraception at all or tend to use contraceptive methods like withdrawal which are high risk, if parental involvement is made necessary to dispense contraceptive pills. Generally this leads to early teenage pregnancy which would have a negative effect on the teenage mother, her family, her child and the society. “In England alone, about 90,000 teenagers in England become pregnant, resulting in about 56,000 live births each year. Of these conceptions, about 7,700 are to girls under 16 years old and 2,200 to girls aged 14 or under” (Emergency Nurse 22). It is reported that almost 600,000 teenage girls get oral contraceptives from family planning clinics and about 500,000 consult private physicians. “1.3 million of the 2.4 million women under age 18 who are sexually active and able to get pregnant but do not want to do so during a year are at a very high risk of becoming pregnant because they are using contraceptive methods with high failure rates or no contraception at all.”(American Journal Public Health, 346). Before we arrive at a conclusion on whether parental involvement is necessary for dispensing birth control pill to teenagers we need to understand what the pill does, how it works, its effects and side effects. The pill is a very safe method of birth control. However it is better to consult a doctor before taking these pills for its suitability issues. The pill should be prescribed by a physician or a qualified health expert like a nurse practitioner. The person willing to use this method will be examined by their health consultant this also includes a pelvic examination. Usually a person is prescribed a three month course and is also guided when to begin the use of the prescribed medication and what should be done when a dose is missed. The doctor would schedule a check up after three months in order to check the lady’s blood pressure and to examine her for any possible side effects. If the user is not undergoing any problems and is willing to continue the use of the pill then she is usually prescribed a 6 to 12 month dose. Girls who are sexually active are scheduled for a routine check up every six months. The contraceptive pill has to be taken daily usually at the same time, orally; since it contains hormones like estrogen and progesterone, these hormones slightly change the way one’s body works to help prevent pregnancy. Hormones control the way one’s body organs work. When the birth control pill is taken the hormones in it control the ovaries and the uterus. The use of pills is one of the most effective birth control methods. Most of the teens using pills have less painful periods and lighter ones when compared to the ones who do not use pills. Most of the birth control pills are combination pills as they come in a combination of hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones prevent the release of the egg in the monthly cycle. Due to this there is no egg fertilization and also the pills might work by thickening the mucus on the walls around the cervix and making it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg. It also prevents the egg from attaching itself with the walls of the uterus. Most of these pills are available in packs of 21 or 28 pills. One pill which contains hormones is taken each day for 21 days; the pills are stopped for 7 days to allow the woman to have her periods. For a 28 day pack one hormone pill is taken every day for 21 days and one pill that does not contain the hormones is taken for 7 days when the woman has her periods, most of the pill users prefer the 28 day pack as it helps them stay habituated to taking pills every day. There are also some pills that prevent pregnancy and decrease the rate of periods of a woman from once a month to once in three months. One hormone pill is taken daily at the same time for twelve weeks and for seven days one pill without hormones is taken and the user has her periods. There are pills available in the markets which come with only one hormone that is progesterone instead of both estrogen and progesterone and is called the mini-pill. The mini-pill also changes the frequency of periods; these pills come with low doses of progesterone. The difference between this pill and other pills is that it only contains progesterone instead of a combination of progesterone and estrogen. The mini-pill changes the lining of the uterus and the cervical mucus. Sometimes it also effects ovulation. The mini-pill is believed to be a little less effective in preventing pregnancy. The mini-pill has to be taken everyday with no breaks. A girl taking the mini-pill can go without periods for several months or she may not have periods at all. For the mini-pill to work effectively, it must be taken everyday at the same time. Birth control pills work best when taken at the same time everyday, whether or not the girl is going to have an intercourse. This is very important especially when pills with only progesterone are taken. It is advised to use an additional form of contraception such as condoms for the first seven days of starting the pill, after which the pill alone should work. It is better to continue the use of condoms as it provides protection against sexually transmitted diseases. If a pill is missed then the user might get pregnant and it is better to use condoms or any other for of back up contraception or the user should avoid sex for a little while. The user cannot take random pills without consulting a doctor or a health expert. The pill is a very effective way of birth control however out of hundred users every year about 4 to 9 may have an accidental pregnancy. “The birth control pill is by far the most effective form of reversible contraception. It is the only method that is reliable, readily available, and does not require genital touching before and after sex. Despite its advantages, many misconceptions about the pill’s safety discourage some teens who should be using it” (Benson 39). The possibility of one getting pregnant depends on how regular one takes their pill. The pill works only if taken responsibly every day if the pill is missed even one day then their might be a chance of one getting pregnant. The question of how effective each birth control method works depends on various factors like health problems or if one is on any herbal supplements or medications that may hinder the way the method works. For instance herbs like St. John’s Wort or antibiotics can hamper the effect of the hormone pill. The effectiveness of the birth control method depends on the choice of the method, if the method is convenient for the user and if the person remembers to use it correctly and regularly. The oral pill is one of the most effective and safest methods of contraception; young teenagers have very little chance of side effects. Possible side effects of birth control pills are weight gain, breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, dizziness, irregular menstrual cycle, frequent changes in mood and blood clots are quite rare in women who do not smoke and are under the age of 35 years. Since contraceptive pills are a safe method of preventing pregnancy, it should be made available to teenagers without parental permission. Forcible involvement of parents may lead to teenagers not using any method of contraception at all, which is of greater risk as it would increase the rate of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. However, it should be made compulsory to visit a physician before buying the pill as it requires medical help. “Provision of contraceptive services and effective sex education is associated with comparatively low rates of teenage pregnancy” (British Medical Journal 1157). Works Cited Benson, Michael D., Coping with Birth Control, The Rosen Publishing Group, 1998. Confidentiality, Contraception and Young People, British Medical Journal 1993, 1157. Emergency Contraception, Emergency Nurse, 2008 22-24 Guldi, Melanie, Fertility Effects of Abortion and Birth Control Pill Access for Minors, 2008. Parental notification of prescription contraceptives for teenagers, American Journal Public Health, 1983, 346. Summers, Daniel, et all, An Exploration of the Ethical, Legal and Developmental Issues in the Care of an Adolescent Patient, Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine 2006, 592-595. Turetsky, Rochelle A. and Strasburger, Victor C. Adolescent Contraception, Clinical pediatrics, 1983, 337-341. Read More