Contraception query

Hi everyone

This really isn't a conception query, but more a contraception one. I hope posting it here is ok.

I have a fifteen year old daughter and sadly (for me :cry:) we are at the stage of looking at contraception for her.

I don't think the contraception pill is an option because I don't think she is responsible enough to take them.

I wondered if anyone here can tell me about implanon.... For example:

I have heard it needs to be inserted by a doctor with the appropriate license?
How much does it cost for the 'tube'? I understand it's quite expensive.
Does anyone know if the cost is covered by some private health insurances?
Does it hurt to have it inserted, and are there any side effects?
Is there any reason why this would not be recommended for a 15 year old?

Any advice would be appreciated

Best wishes, Sandy

ok...it is a simple procedure done by a gp in his rooms. it require a nurse, a local anaethestic (sp) and looks worse than it actually is.

it stops periods all together, hence no ovulation. I dont know that your doctor will prescribe it so young though. However it does last 3 years and can be removed at any time.

another option is depo provera injections which are given every 3 months. i took these from age 16 and never menstruated or ovulated.

discuss these options with your gp....they can answer all questions

Qudos to you that your daughter can talk to you about contraception - so many feel thay can't - but knowing that you feel a bit sad about it maybe you can find out why she thinks she needs it and try to reassure her that a chap should love her even if she doesn't sleep with him (not that you haven't)? I know when I did youth work (back at Uni) I spent a lot of time with young girls, about 13-14, talking to them about this so I know how hard it can be, but I do think it's great that your daughter can tell you about this and not just talk to friends or young women at their youth club.

Best of luck to you
Ryn.

i wouldnt reccommend Depo. I had it for two year, and it took me another two full years after stopping it to get back to a propper cycle with periods etc. i dont think in someone so young it is a good option. i don't think any contraception which stops them from having a regular cycle is not a good thing, just my opinion, I know I wouldnt like it if it was my daughter, at that age, i think the pill would be best if there is no chance they are going to refrain from being secually active.

i am not judging at all, just a query, you said you don't think she is responsible enough to take the pill, perhaps this means she is not responsible enough to be having a sexual relationship, perhaps she needs a little more guidance in that area? just a thought?

yeah i agree it is a very tough decision and something that needs a lot of homework.

speak to your gp and take your daughter along with you. she needs to really understand sexual resposnsibilites, actions and consequences

good luck with it all :)

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I couldn't agree more with the last 2 posts, unfortunately she will do what she wants to and not what I think is best for her. I had a talk to her about saving it for a loving caring relationship etc.

The boy I suspect that she's developing a relationship with is like harry potter dorkified x 10 - so I don't think it's going to happen quickly.

I did some of my own research. the cost is only around $30 for those with a Medicare card. My sister had me in a panic. She told me the cost is around $240, but thats before the PBS is applied.

Best wishes Sandy

Just moved to Kids & Teen'Ragers'.

Sandy, I was on the mini pill at 14 due to irregular and painful periods, different reason I know, but it made me be more responsible IYKWIM? I had to remember to take the pill every day etc and was years ahead of my friends in this aspect.

I would strongly recommend you DON"T get her an injection or implant as they can cause some pretty ordinary side effects. My GP recommended Depo first because if that doesn't agree with you (and it didn't) then there is a fair chance the implanon wont either.

It is never a subject a mother wants to talk about with her 15 year old daughter, but nevertheless it has to be done. Tell her that not only should she take the pill, but use condoms as well, because IMO getting pg is the least of her worries IYKWIM? I think if young girls have these long-term contraceptives, they become complacent in regards to STD's/HIV etc.

You said her friend is a bit dorkish, but it doesn't mean they wont do it, or at least experiment with different things.

I really hope this doesn't sound like I'm coming down heavy, but I hope this helps.

Hey there,

my concern with the injection or implanon would be like Sherie said, pregnancy isn't your only concern, and if your daughter knew she wasn't ovulation or having a period at all it may be more of a reason to think (in the mind of a young teenage girl) that if she cant get pregnant cause she has the implanon then there is no need for condoms at all.

This is the kind of thing i dread having a daughter!! I remember too well being a 15 year old teenager, and at 15 i had my first real relationship that lasted til I was almost 20, and I personally know that no matter what anyone said to me, i was sure i knew better and knew more.

Maybe taking her to the docs to discuuss different options would help her see that taking the pill is more than popping a pill in your mouth each day, and have him/her talk to your daughter about the responisibilities that go along with being sexually active and using contraception. It may embarass her a little, depending on what kind of personality your daughter has, but it may also help her see that sex isn't some little game and that if she is even consider being sexually active then she has to act like a responsible adult.

Hee Hee Hee on the Harry Potter thing! I think I'll die if Belle comes home with some dashing surfie/trendy/popular guy. Bring on the Harry!

I understand where you are coming from, but pls listen to the side effect my cousin had when her doctor put her on the implanon at age 16.
My cousin used to be a big girl, she was self concious about her weight and after she had her son at 15, she asked the doctor about contraception. He recommended the implanon because it was long lasting(3 yrs) and he said there were hardly any side effects.
Over the next couple of months she started to lose weight and to us,her family, it looked like she was starving herself. She told us she was eating and as she was living with her father, we asked him to keep an eye on her.He reported back to us that she was eating so we told her to go to a different doctor. When she rang us to report what the doctor said we were in shock. It turns out that one of the side effects of the implanon is that it can cause you to become anaemic because your body works harder to replenish the iron in your bloodstream.
She went from being a size 14-16 down to a size 6-8 in the matter of 3 months. She is still having trouble putting on weight even now and she is now 18. The doctor that saw her said he was extremely upset about her weight loss, but even he would never have put her on the implanon.

maybe take her along to the local family planning clinic, let the nurses sit down at talk thru her options with her, options like contemplating becoming sexually active and what the issues related to that are, also her body etc and what is expected of her as a sexually active "adult" (like regular pap smears).

Family Planning Clinics work on bulk-bill plus a donation (if you can afford it), also contraception is at cost price (when I was looking into it the cost of the shot was $18). They also do condom packs quite cheeply (packaged nicely with lube).

I still have my regular pap smears at the family planning clinic but I now give a $50 donation instead of the $5 - $10 I used to be able to afford. I'm much rather pay $50 where I know my donation is helping with services in the community.

I guess both the Implanon & Deprovera injections come with this advantages & disadvantages. The Implanon can be left in for several years but has been known to cause some side affects...the upside is it can be removed easily at the GP and your system goes back to 'normal' fairly quickly.

The Deprovera injections last 3 months and are known to have less side affects (at this point) than the implanon. That said, you CAN fall pregnant literally the day after the 3 month period (as my MIL about that! *L*) ends; and if you do react badly to it early on in the cycle; you may still suffer form these reactions until the end of the three months.

I thoroughly agree with the suggestions of taking her along to the GP or Family Planning Clinic to make her aware of her sexual responsibilities and the consequences. Not to mention the importance of using condoms to protect herself from sexually transmitted diseases.

Basically she needs to know that if she's not mature enough to talk about these issues & meet the important things like having pap smears etc; then she certainly shouldn't even be thinking about having sex. I'm not naive enough to think that would stop a 15yr old girl from having sex!

I have another 14 1/2 years before *fingers crossed* I have to deal first-hand with this kind of situation...I do not envy you! Good luck and big props to you for taking such an invested interest in your daughter's safety! :)