As a mother, nothing can be more daunting than approaching the topic of your daughter’s sexual health. You want to assure your little girl that she can always talk to you, without letting on that it’s a little bit heartbreaking every time she mentions having sex. However, it’s important to look out for her wellbeing, as many teenagers today are uninformed about sexual issues, so what do you need to talk about?
Let’s start with contraception. Obviously, the condom is the best protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as pregnancies, but your daughter may not be aware that things don’t always go to plan in the moment. Paul Fine, MD, associate professor of gynaecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, notes, ‘A couple may not put on a condom until the last minute, and in the heat of passion, he might not have the control he usually has, so that’s never foolproof.’
Therefore, you need to educate your daughter about other contraceptive methods that are less dependent on calm, clear thinking in the midst of a passionate clinch. The Pill is a classic choice for most women and your daughter may not be aware that it does so much more than prevent pregnancies. Depending on the type of Pill she chooses, the Pill can help to clear up her acne, lessen her risk of uterine infection and ovarian cancer, and reduce period problems such as heavy bleeding, pain and PMS mood swings.
Still, the Pill alone won’t protect your daughter from STIs, and she’s in a very high-risk group for them. Even though 15-24 year olds only represent 25% of the sexually active population, they are the victims of 50% of new STD cases. Jeanne Marrazzo, MD, an STD specialist at the University of Washington medical school, advises annual chlamydia screenings for younger women, while Hunter Handsfield, MD, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington, says, ‘Young people ought to get tested once a year for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea.’ This is because the symptoms of STDs aren’t always apparent. You can have gonorrhoea, chlamydia, hepatitis, HIV, and syphilis without having any obvious symptoms, but these diseases can be very destructive to your wellness over a long period of time. Dr Handsfield adds that women under 26 should consider getting the HPV vaccination.
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