If you ever decide to be sexually active, the are multiple ways for you and you partner to stay protected. First thing you need to consider and learn about is that you are putting yourself at risk for pregnancy and other possible risks. Therefore, it is rather wise to use protections to reduce those chances.
- Get tested! You may want to know if you and your partner are have any STDs or possibly (higher) risks of getting pregnant, a STD, and more. If you want to be physically involve with someone, note that your are exchanging bodily fluids between them. Therefore, make sure you and your partner are safe to be sexually active. You don’t want to be sexually involve with anyone who could infect you.
- Go to your local clinic or school clinic! It’s wiser to get consultation and you will need a doctor/nurse’s permission to get any type of pregnancy prevention. These people will keep your information confidential and only the clinic will know about your situation. They can help you get the resources you need to be sexually active (usually at a cheaper price) at a young age such as condoms, birth control pills, and more. You will feel more comfortable and confident with your body knowing that you are preventing pregnancy.
- Plan out which pregnancy prevention method is best for you! There are many ways to prevent pregnancy, but not all is fit for everyone. But know that all of these methods ranges from affordable to expensive. Don’t worry about sticking with one choice, you can always change it depending on how your body responds to them.
Get tested at your local clinic or at your school clinic.
Use protection! There many contraceptives options for teens to use. If more contraceptives are used together, the better chance it reduces pregnancy.
These suggested pregnancy prevention options are listed due to it’s most common option, lower price, and easy access.
Barrier Methods
- Female condom
- Male condom
- Diaphragm (inserted into the vagina with spermicidal cream before intercourse which blocks sperm)
Diaphragm
Hormonal methods
- Birth control pills
- Contraceptives patch (sticks to the skin of buttock, lower abdomen, outer arm, or upper body which releases hormones through the skin into the bloodstream)
Contraceptive Patch
- Birth control injection (injected to arm or buttock once every three month)
- Implant rods (implanted rods which are inserted surgically into the upper arm; can last up to 5 years)
- Emergency Contraceptives Pill is used after unprotected intercourse up to 2 days and is not a pregnancy prevention method for daily use
There are other methods like IUDs, vaginal ring, and more, but those are not as common in teens. These are just the few most common and popular pregnancy prevention methods out there for youths.
Image Source:
1. http://albahelpinternational.blogspot.com/2011/12/contraceptives.html
2. http://albahelpinternational.blogspot.com/2011/12/contraceptives.html
3. http://teentalk.ca/issues/stis/ways-to-stay-safer