Teen Pregnancy Prevention...A Parent's Struggle Between 'Protection'-and-Advocating Abstinence
On Teen Pregnancy Prevention ...
A quote from a friend and middle-aged Mom – "So many of my friends had sex by age 17...but they refuse to think their daughters are having sex by age 17!"
According to the CDC's 2011 stats, 47.4 percent of high school students have been sexually active. In my practice, I see many parents struggle to balance between contraception for the (realistic) potential of sexual activity and pregnancy prevention, while still, hopefully, advocating for abstinence as a choice.
I try to reinforce with my teen patients the difficult position their parents may be in. In trying to 'protect' them from the 'possibilities', we want them to consider the consequences of unprotected sex....
And to remember, abstinence is still a choice.
Suzanne Hall, MD
Eastside Gynecology Obstetrics, PC
Twitter @drsuzyyhall
