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posted by cmn32480 on Monday March 20 2017, @05:39PM   Printer-friendly
from the no-makin'-babies dept.

A review has reiterated that oral contraception is safe and effective for adolescent females, and found that negative side effects are rarer among teens than adult users. The review also found no evidence linking the use of oral contraceptives to increased or riskier sex:

Nearly five years ago, the nation's leading group of obstetricians and gynecologists issued a policy statement saying the time had come for oral contraception to be available without a prescription. We wrote about it and everything.

In the intervening years, some states have changed their laws. California authorized pharmacists to distribute most types of hormonal birth control. Oregon passed a similar law covering both pills and patches. But neither law changed the status of birth control pills from prescription to over-the-counter. Only the Food and Drug Administration can do that. And in Oregon's case, the law does not apply to people of all ages. People under 18 are still required to get their first contraceptive prescription from a doctor.

But researchers say there is no evidence that adolescents are at greater risk from birth control pills than adult women. A review of oral contraceptive research [DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2016.12.024] [DX] presents the most comprehensive evidence yet that, as the authors state, "There is no scientific rationale for limiting access to a future over-the-counter oral contraceptive product by age."

"There is a growing body of evidence that the safety risks are low and benefits are large," says Krishna Upadhya, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the lead author of the review, which was published this week in the Journal of Adolescent Health. In fact, she says, some of the potential negative side effects of oral contraception are less likely in younger people. For example, birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin come with an increased risk of a type of blood clot called a venous thromboembolism, but that risk is lower in teenagers than in older women. As a result, the pill is "potentially safer the younger you are," says Upadhya.


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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by charon on Monday March 20 2017, @05:56PM (29 children)

    by charon (5660) on Monday March 20 2017, @05:56PM (#481633) Journal
    I have a 14 year old daughter. As far as I can tell she's not interested in boys much, but, like probably all fathers, I am dreading the day she is. Even so, I'd much rather she be open with me and tell me she needs birth control than sneak around having sex without it. Seems like there's no reason that young women should be forced to jump through even more hoops to get safe medical treatment.
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  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:02PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:02PM (#481641)

    YOU are the fucking parent, you FAGGOT.

    YOU buy her birth control, and YOU start the conversation about sex yourself.

    Goddamnit. "I dread the day she likes boys." FUCK YOU. You don't deserve to be a parent.

  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by meustrus on Monday March 20 2017, @06:03PM (17 children)

    by meustrus (4961) on Monday March 20 2017, @06:03PM (#481642)

    There's a third option in there which over-the-counter availability would open up: her sneaking around having sex with it. Which is still better than the likely alternative, especially considering the finding of "no evidence linking the use of oral contraceptives to increased or riskier sex". And to be honest, do you really expect your teenage daughter to be open with you about that sort of thing? I know all parents dream of that kind of trust, but how realistic is that really? Even if it wasn't an issue of trust, there will always be the issue of awkwardness.

    --
    If there isn't at least one reference or primary source, it's not +1 Informative. Maybe the underused +1 Interesting?
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:18PM (8 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:18PM (#481650)

      Hilariously, proponents of systemic hormones seem to have some mental blockage, preventing them from recognizing the existence of an ancient technology called the condom.

      Not only does it work well by itself, but when combined with the pull-out method, or non-penitrative sex, it is extremely effective in preventing all manner of sexually transmitted diseases, including the spread of humanity.

      • (Score: 2, Insightful) by charon on Monday March 20 2017, @06:22PM (1 child)

        by charon (5660) on Monday March 20 2017, @06:22PM (#481653) Journal
        Condoms are great. When they are there. And used. And not broken. And not taken off by a boy who whines about how they feel.
        • (Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:26PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:26PM (#481656)

          ... maybe then they won't "whine" about even less sensation from their disrupted sexual organs.

      • (Score: 3, Informative) by compro01 on Monday March 20 2017, @07:52PM (3 children)

        by compro01 (2515) on Monday March 20 2017, @07:52PM (#481720)

        Condom...Not only does it work well by itself

        Depends on one's definition of "well". 18% p.a. failure rate doesn't seem very "well" to me, when alternatives (pill/patch) are half that, or far less (IUD/implant).

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:02PM (2 children)

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:02PM (#481728)

          If you believe you have a better solution for yourself, then YOU PAY FOR IT. I'm not your slave.

          • (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @09:25PM (1 child)

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @09:25PM (#481784)

            Can you just move to some desert island already and save us your anti-society rants?

            • (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 21 2017, @12:14AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday March 21 2017, @12:14AM (#481879)

              Indeed, coercion is a barbaric foundation for society.

      • (Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Monday March 20 2017, @09:50PM

        --
        No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
      • (Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday March 21 2017, @01:23AM

        by sjames (2882) on Tuesday March 21 2017, @01:23AM (#481903) Journal

        A great idea to prevent spread of disease and fairly effective as birth control. However, add the pill and get near complete protection from pregnancy. The pill also works even when poor and rash adolescent decision making comes in to play.

    • (Score: 3, Touché) by charon on Monday March 20 2017, @06:20PM (7 children)

      by charon (5660) on Monday March 20 2017, @06:20PM (#481651) Journal

      You make a good point. But condoms have been over the counter forever, but how many boys find the gumption to go buy some? I think the embarassment factor would probably work the same way if the pill were OTC.

      And yes, of course I am not expecting her to confide everything in me and/or her mother. I'm not dreading the day she sees a boy and swoons. I'm dreading the day she brings a boy home and he's an asshat like the AC up above and I have to tell her so.

      • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:23PM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:23PM (#481654)

        You just sit around, twiddling your thumbs, "dreading" the day your child gets horny.

        FUCK YOU, faggot.

        • (Score: 1) by charon on Monday March 20 2017, @06:27PM (1 child)

          by charon (5660) on Monday March 20 2017, @06:27PM (#481657) Journal
          Speak of the devil!
          • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:31PM

            by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:31PM (#481658)

            I'm going to fill her tight pussy with my venom.

      • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday March 20 2017, @06:41PM (2 children)

        by bob_super (1357) on Monday March 20 2017, @06:41PM (#481668)

        I will buy condoms for my girls and make sure they know how to check them.
        I will let them do it in my house, preferably when we're around.
        I will tell them that, but encourage them to wait until they're mature enough to deal with it.

        There are enough things to be worried about. A parent's job is to help them be ready, and be within reach if anything goes wrong.

        May not work, like all education. But that's better than do nothing, or scare them into doing it wrong.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:57PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:57PM (#481768)

          They will live up to your expectations or, as is the case here, down to your expectations.

          The condoms will break. Just once is enough for a permanent disease.

          If you try out lots of people but don't end up with the best one you've tried, life is going to suck.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @10:54PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @10:54PM (#481831)

          Don't just teach them about condoms, get them IUDs.
          IUD usage is not correlated with increased rates of STDs which was the only significant argument for condoms over any other form of contraception.

      • (Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday March 21 2017, @01:25AM

        by sjames (2882) on Tuesday March 21 2017, @01:25AM (#481904) Journal

        Tell her to say she gets serious cramps.

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:35PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:35PM (#481661)

    YOU buy her birth control, and YOU start the conversation about sex yourself.

    Goddamnit. "I dread the day she likes boys." FUCK YOU. You don't deserve to be a parent.

    YOU are the fucking parent, you FAGGOT.

  • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:43PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:43PM (#481670)

    She will never need birth control. Fertility is a feature, not a defect.

    Look, I'm not even religious and I know to avoid sex until I believe that I will be with somebody until death. I in fact did that, as did my wife, at ages 22 and 19. Over 20 years later, I'm still with her. I have never had to worry about a forgotten pill, spent implant, or broken condom. We don't pay or receive child support or alimony. We don't get STDs -- not even warts or herpes. Our numerous kids have a stable home with a 100% (stay-at-home) mom.

    It's really quite simple. She should seek a spouse as soon as she is about to stop growing, expecting to find one by age 22 at the latest. (for guys: as soon as you are about to be able to support a family) When seeking a spouse, she needs to treat non-virgins like they are radioactive, possibly excepting widowers. It's safest to treat divorced parents as a big red flag. Problems with responsible planning, such as drug abuse or pointless debt, are deal breakers. She'll have an easier time avoiding bad ones if she does the asking. She'll encounter more good ones if she studies mechanical or electrical engineering.

    She can make other choices. This is gambling with life. It may work, but frequently it leads to pain: disease, poverty, custody fights, abuse, living with rotten people...

    Set an example. If you've already screwed up, own up to it. Don't make excuses. Make it clear that you expect better from her and don't think she will fail. Disparage those who fuck up, even if that means yourself.

    • (Score: 2) by turgid on Monday March 20 2017, @08:28PM (2 children)

      by turgid (4318) Subscriber Badge on Monday March 20 2017, @08:28PM (#481746) Journal

      Look! The American Taliban post on this site :-)

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:54PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:54PM (#481766)

        Note: not even religious

        This is just wanting a stable life that isn't fucked up and broken. Even w/o the god stuff, those old morals have a reason.

        • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @10:21PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @10:21PM (#481820)

          In Soviet Amerika even Taliban is secular!

  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:50PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:50PM (#481674)

    YOU decided to create a new human being; teach that person how to responsibly handle the sexual instinct.

    YOU buy her birth control, and YOU start the conversation about sex yourself.

    Goddamnit. "I dread the day she likes boys." FUCK YOU. You don't deserve to be a parent. YOU are the fucking parent.

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @07:30PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @07:30PM (#481699)

    YOU decided to create a new human being; teach that person how to responsibly handle the sexual instinct.

    YOU buy her birth control, and YOU start the conversation about sex yourself.

    Dreading the natural development of your child suggests that you do not deserve to be a parent.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @07:39PM (2 children)

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @07:39PM (#481710)

      Sheesh. We get it already. Not everybody can be as enlightened as parents in the Netherlands.

      Thought I admit, it does take special talent to see the rate of incidence of teenage pregnancy in the Netherlands, see the rate of incidence of the same in the USA, and conclude that the USA has the right approach to sex ed.

      I'll make an exemption for somebody who is attempting to use their daughter's body to engage in womb warfare, but... is that something people honestly do? No, no, don't answer that. I already know the answer is "yes" in the land where they perform unnecessary and dangerous cosmetic surgery on their sons at birth.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:07PM (1 child)

        by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:07PM (#481730)

        You can't argue with people who find their truth between the covers of a single book.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:37PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @08:37PM (#481755)

          Straw man, much?