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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.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by meustrus on Monday March 20 2017, @06:03PM (17 children)
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)
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)
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:26PM
... 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)
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)
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)
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
Indeed, coercion is a barbaric foundation for society.
(Score: 2) by NotSanguine on Monday March 20 2017, @09:50PM
The smart choice for your future! [youtube.com].
No, no, you're not thinking; you're just being logical. --Niels Bohr
(Score: 2) by sjames on Tuesday March 21 2017, @01:23AM
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)
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)
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)
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday March 20 2017, @06:31PM
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)
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
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
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
Tell her to say she gets serious cramps.