Planned Parenthood - Morning After Pill

[Dos Equis]

I was talking to my daughter about one of her high school classmates who is sexually active.  The girl has been to Planned Parenthood three times for the "morning after" pill.  Her parents know nothing about this.  Everything is confidential.  She didn't have to pay.  I'm sure this happens with many girls here and on the mainland.

In addition to the problems I have with an organization like this providing medical services without the parents' knowledge and consent, I question the health implications of these pills.  I haven't read up on them, but I wonder about the long-term effects of repeated use of this pill.

[dizzleman06]

It can make becoming pregnant whenever you want to start a family much more difficult...especially when used more than once.  They tell the patient that before they release the pill to them, but I am not to sure that a teenager is capable of grasping exactly what that will mean to them later in life....sad.

[Straw Man]

It can make becoming pregnant whenever you want to start a family much more difficult...especially when used more than once.  They tell the patient that before they release the pill to them, but I am not to sure that a teenager is capable of grasping exactly what that will mean to them later in life....sad.

if she can't grasp what that will mean to her later in life then she's not mature enough to raise a child and most likely would be a horrible parent.

Someone who needs to use an emergency contraceptive because she's too lazy/dumb/careless to use a normal contraceptive is probably someone who shouldn't breeding at any age .....so I say that in this case the possible long-term negative consequences are actually a GOOD thing

[dizzleman06]

I am not saying they aren't a good thing, but a teenager doesn't want to have babies and be a mom....right?  But later in life she might want to...  That is all I am saying. 

[Dos Equis]

I am not saying they aren't a good thing, but a teenager doesn't want to have babies and be a mom....right?  But later in life she might want to...  That is all I am saying. 

A teenager isn't ready to be a mom.  They can't take of themselves in most cases. 

I doubt a teenager completely comprehends all of the ramifications involved with this pill. 

[dizzleman06]

A teenager isn't ready to be a mom.  They can't take of themselves in most cases. 

I doubt a teenager completely comprehends all of the ramifications involved with this pill. 

exactly what I am saying!

[Al-Gebra]

might be a good thing if fewer hoochies reproduce . . . jsia.

[Hedgehog]

The morning after pill is a pretty good idea IMO.

But the most important thing is to get the message on safe sex out in the schools and with people in general.

I remember when I was a kid, a one night stander without a rubber wasn't happening.

But these days, it's just like everything is more superficial, more prude.

It's a paradox, because at the same time, it's easier than ever to access porn and erotic material.

So kids needs to be educated about all this. They need to be taught to protect themselves.

Mandatory safe sex education from the kids are 15 years old.

Some kind of relation type of education when they're 14.

[Al Doggity]

It can make becoming pregnant whenever you want to start a family much more difficult...especially when used more than once.  They tell the patient that before they release the pill to them, but I am not to sure that a teenager is capable of grasping exactly what that will mean to them later in life....sad.

This isn't true. I am in the ad industry and earlier this year my agency handled a product that  allows women to experience superficial periods four times a year.  I was part of the team that conducted due diligence and we had to make some comparisons with other forms of birth control. The morning after pill is essentially standard birth control in a stronger dose. The most serious side effect is nausea.

[Dos Equis]

This isn't true. I am in the ad industry and earlier this year my agency handled a product that  allows women to experience superficial periods four times a year.  I was part of the team that conducted due diligence and we had to make some comparisons with other forms of birth control. The morning after pill is essentially standard birth control in a stronger dose. The most serious side effect is nausea.

What are the long-term side effects? 

[Camel Jockey]

If there are no long-term side effects, then this pill is great for keeping unwanted children out of this world.

[Straw Man]

A teenager isn't ready to be a mom.  They can't take of themselves in most cases. 

I doubt a teenager completely comprehends all of the ramifications involved with this pill. 

I understand what you're saying and I say it's a  GOOD thing

Seems like a great example of natural selection

There are plenty of 13 year olds who can "grasp" the consequences

The less morons breeding the better

[Al Doggity]

What are the long-term side effects? 

There aren't really any long-term side effects. It's not as disruptive to the system as an abortion.

It's one of the least effective forms of birth control, though.

If this girl has had to resort to morning after pills three times already, she should just go on the pill.

[dizzleman06]

This isn't true. I am in the ad industry and earlier this year my agency handled a product that  allows women to experience superficial periods four times a year.  I was part of the team that conducted due diligence and we had to make some comparisons with other forms of birth control. The morning after pill is essentially standard birth control in a stronger dose. The most serious side effect is nausea.

A side effect of standard birth control is having a hard time getting pregnant...so why wouldn't that remain if a higher dose is used?

[Al Doggity]

A side effect of standard birth control is having a hard time getting pregnant...

No it isn't. There are no long term side effects associated with the pill.

[Dos Equis]

I understand what you're saying and I say it's a  GOOD thing

Seems like a great example of natural selection

There are plenty of 13 year olds who can "grasp" the consequences

The less morons breeding the better

Teenagers making adult decision has nothing to do with natural selection. 

Thirteen year olds are not in the position to make adult decisions.

[Dos Equis]

No it isn't. There are no long term side effects associated with the pill.

Isn't that because there have been no studies on the long-term effects of this pill?  It hasn't been around that long.  Here is an excerpt from a 2003 article (quote from Concerned Women for America):

"Is this safe for women, when in fact there have been no studies done on the long-term effects on women who take the morning-after pill, and there are no studies that have been done on multiple use -- if a woman uses it more than once."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/16/morning.after.pill/

Another:

Although no conclusive research has been conducted into the long-term effects of the morning-after pill, Dr Niyada said that some studies showed links between constant high levels of progesterone, due to extended use of the pill, and breast, ovarian and uterine cancer plus ectopic pregnancies.

http://www.morningafterpill.org/bangkok.htm

I agree with dizzleman on this one. 

[Straw Man]

Teenagers making adult decision has nothing to do with natural selection. 

Thirteen year olds are not in the position to make adult decisions.

It's an apt metaphor

I would bet that the average 13 year at least understands the basics on human reproduction yet your daughters high school friend has been to PP three times now and still hasn't figured it out?

Can't she slow down on her rutting long enough to buy a pack of condoms?

Maybe she should just stick to blowjobs and perhaps anal for those special occasions - that's what the Christian girls do.

[Dos Equis]

It's an apt metaphor

I would bet that the average 13 year at least understands the basics on human reproduction yet your daughters high school friend has been to PP three times now and still hasn't figured it out?

Can't she slow down on her rutting long enough to buy a pack of condoms?

Maybe she should just stick to blowjobs and perhaps anal for those special occasions - that's what the Christian girls do.

More like a poor analogy. 

The average 13-year-old understands the basics of human reproduction and knows how to have sex.  That really has nothing to do with whether they are competent to make adult decisions and whether they understand all of the ramifications of a pill that apparently has no long-term studies indicating possible effects of the pill.  In fact, a I doubt a 13-year-old can legally provide informed consent without the parents' involvement. 

We really have a contradiction in our society, because we have said, in every state, that 13-year-olds cannot consent to sex, but we allow those same 13-year-olds to get abortions and take these kinds of pills without parental involvement. 

She is having sex with same guy.  In that sense she really isn't much different than the likely millions of women who have used the morning after pill more than once.   

[Straw Man]

More like a poor analogy. 

The average 13-year-old understands the basics of human reproduction and knows how to have sex.  That really has nothing to do with whether they are competent to make adult decisions and whether they understand all of the ramifications of a pill that apparently has no long-term studies indicating possible effects of the pill.  In fact, a I doubt a 13-year-old can legally provide informed consent without the parents' involvement. 

We really have a contradiction in our society, because we have said, in every state, that 13-year-olds cannot consent to sex, but we allow those same 13-year-olds to get abortions and take these kinds of pills without parental involvement. 

She is having sex with same guy.  In that sense she really isn't much different than the likely millions of women who have used the morning after pill more than once.   

We're talking about your daughters dopey friend who I'm sure is older than 13

From her actions it sounds like she's a box of rocks and her boyfriend doesn't sound any better

What's worse for society - having this girl drop a new cabbage on the planet every 9 months or possibly messing up her baby maker?

Does this girl go to a christian school - perhaps one that teaches abstinence but no actual sex education?

What exactly is her excuse (or her boyfriends) for being so f'ng stupid?

[Hedgehog]

More like a poor analogy. 

The average 13-year-old understands the basics of human reproduction and knows how to have sex.  That really has nothing to do with whether they are competent to make adult decisions and whether they understand all of the ramifications of a pill that apparently has no long-term studies indicating possible effects of the pill.  In fact, a I doubt a 13-year-old can legally provide informed consent without the parents' involvement. 

We really have a contradiction in our society, because we have said, in every state, that 13-year-olds cannot consent to sex, but we allow those same 13-year-olds to get abortions and take these kinds of pills without parental involvement. 

She is having sex with same guy.  In that sense she really isn't much different than the likely millions of women who have used the morning after pill more than once.   

These girls and boys needs to be taught sex ed. Something to balance out whatever they get from watching TV and reading mags. And I'm not talking porn here. The superficial image of relations as a whole, somewhere, some balancing has to be offered.

I remember my sex education. It didn't made me want to have more sex, it was all about the different STD's that are around, and how dangerous it is to have unprotected sex.

If anything, it seems like it may be too much of a trouble for teenagers to get pills and condoms, and when the sex occurs, they don't have protection, and will foolishly opt for Morning after pill instead.

Which is better than regular birth control, but does nothing to keep STD's at bay.

Some people believe that if you don't talk about sex ed, don't give out condoms, and don't offer abortions, promiscuity among teens will vanish.

That is not my belief.

[Dos Equis]

These girls and boys needs to be taught sex ed. Something to balance out whatever they get from watching TV and reading mags. And I'm not talking porn here. The superficial image of relations as a whole, somewhere, some balancing has to be offered.

I remember my sex education. It didn't made me want to have more sex, it was all about the different STD's that are around, and how dangerous it is to have unprotected sex.

If anything, it seems like it may be too much of a trouble for teenagers to get pills and condoms, and when the sex occurs, they don't have protection, and will foolishly opt for Morning after pill instead.

Which is better than regular birth control, but does nothing to keep STD's at bay.

Some people believe that if you don't talk about sex ed, don't give out condoms, and don't offer abortions, promiscuity among teens will vanish.

That is not my belief.

Both the girl and her boyfriend have been taught sex ed.  But sex ed., regardless of the type taught, isn't going to necessarily prevent them having sex.  And that isn't really the point of this thread.  It's about the appropriateness of Planned Parenthood providing these kinds of services, repeatedly, to a minor without parental involvement. 

[Al Doggity]

Isn't that because there have been no studies on the long-term effects of this pill?  It hasn't been around that long.  Here is an excerpt from a 2003 article (quote from Concerned Women for America):

"Is this safe for women, when in fact there have been no studies done on the long-term effects on women who take the morning-after pill, and there are no studies that have been done on multiple use -- if a woman uses it more than once."

http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/16/morning.after.pill/

Another:

Although no conclusive research has been conducted into the long-term effects of the morning-after pill, Dr Niyada said that some studies showed links between constant high levels of progesterone, due to extended use of the pill, and breast, ovarian and uterine cancer plus ectopic pregnancies.

http://www.morningafterpill.org/bangkok.htm

I agree with dizzleman on this one. 

Beach Bum, this post is borderline laughable. To find those selected quotes, you probably had to go through hundreds of quotes that dismissed any long term risks. 

The quote on the CNN page is from the spokeswoman of an anti-abortion group and it's wrong. MAP is a stronger dose of a medicine that has been in use for half a century. There is enough real world evidence to come to a conclusion on it's long term side effects. The practice of doubling up on MAP isn't even a recent development. Patients are instructed to do so in the event that they miss a dose.

The second quote is also misleading. To see why just check out the wikipedia page for the pill here- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_oral_contraceptive_pill#Other_effects.

If you don't feel like reading that, I'll summarize. Basically,  any increased risks of the listed diseases is small for a short period of time and negligible in the long term. The page also cites research that indicates carrying a pregnancy to term actually carries more health risks than any form of birth control.

[Al Doggity]

Both the girl and her boyfriend have been taught sex ed.  But sex ed., regardless of the type taught, isn't going to necessarily prevent them having sex.  And that isn't really the point of this thread.  It's about the appropriateness of Planned Parenthood providing these kinds of services, repeatedly, to a minor without parental involvement. 

If this girl is repeatedly relying on the morning after pill, then she obviously hasn't been taught sex ed well. The morning after pill is generally regarded as the worst form of birth control. Other than being borderline retarded, there is no reason for her not to be on the pill.

I cannot see how allowing this girl access to birth control is a bad thing. If  she has had to resort to the morning after pill so many times while still in high school, she is clearly an irresponsible idiot. Do you really think anything would have turned out better for anyone if she had carried any of her multiple potential pregnancies to term.

[Straw Man]

Both the girl and her boyfriend have been taught sex ed.  But sex ed., regardless of the type taught, isn't going to necessarily prevent them having sex.

100% true

"we" as a society CAN NOT and should not (emphasis on CAN NOT) stop human beings from having sex