DD doesn't want to go on birth conrol.

[Anonymous]

She's 15, will be 16 in a few months and not yet sexually active. I'd rather she'd start and be in the habit, but she doesn't want to. Her older sisters went on birth control at that age. When I bring that up she says sh's not them, which is true. She says she's not going to have sex, and that's great, but she's a teen and teens change their minds just like that and I'd rather she be prepared ahead of the time and not caught off guard.
I'm all about her body her choice, but I do worry and don't want her to get caught in a situation.

[Anonymous]

Wtf?
You are bizarre.
There are a lot of health consequences to going on the pill. Bad side effects etc.
She isn't even having sex!
If she decides to have sex, she should explore options with a doctor. The pill may not be the best choice.
And she should use condoms if she has sex.

[Anonymous]

Do not force her on birth control! I have a genetic clotting condition (factor 5) that’s really common and not routinely tested for. When I was diagnosed as an adult, my doctor said I was lucky to have never been on the pill as it could have killed me. There can be other dangerous or unpleasant side effects as well...crazy and insulting to subject a teen who is not sexually active to that against her will.

[Anonymous]

OP here.
I'm aware of side effects. Her doctor would be very thorough about those, so that's not a concern. She also knows about condoms, but those aren't 100% especially in the heat of the moment. DD is responsible, but she's a teen.
I don't want to force it on her, but I'd prefer to get ahead of things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do not force her on birth control! I have a genetic clotting condition (factor 5) that’s really common and not routinely tested for. When I was diagnosed as an adult, my doctor said I was lucky to have never been on the pill as it could have killed me. There can be other dangerous or unpleasant side effects as well...crazy and insulting to subject a teen who is not sexually active to that against her will.

Your highly unusual condition is hardly a reason for op's daughter to avoid the pill.

[Anonymous]

I would have been completely creeped out if my parents had insisted on my taking the pill as a teen, and preventatively no less. How unnecessary.

Respect her wishes, please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not force her on birth control! I have a genetic clotting condition (factor 5) that’s really common and not routinely tested for. When I was diagnosed as an adult, my doctor said I was lucky to have never been on the pill as it could have killed me. There can be other dangerous or unpleasant side effects as well...crazy and insulting to subject a teen who is not sexually active to that against her will.

Your highly unusual condition is hardly a reason for op's daughter to avoid the pill.

But the MTHFR blood clotting gene is much more common in the general population (as high as 40% have the mutation). Having MTHFR and taking a birth control pill can lead to serious health issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do not force her on birth control! I have a genetic clotting condition (factor 5) that’s really common and not routinely tested for. When I was diagnosed as an adult, my doctor said I was lucky to have never been on the pill as it could have killed me. There can be other dangerous or unpleasant side effects as well...crazy and insulting to subject a teen who is not sexually active to that against her will.

Your highly unusual condition is hardly a reason for op's daughter to avoid the pill.

It's not highly unusual.
The pill is not a casual medication.

[Anonymous]

You are borderline abusing your child.

[Anonymous]

Could make her fat

[Anonymous]

Why can't she use condoms? Even if she were on the Pill, that's not 100% either because what if she forgets? Maybe she can do a Depo-Provera where it's inserted in the arm or something. But that's her choice, not yours. As long as you're not saddled with her hypothetical child, it's gonna be fine.

[Anonymous]

I have no way of knowing obviously, but I'll tell you this: I had very normal, regular periods from 12-17, when I started taking the pill. I was on it for 8 years, and when I came off of it...I never had a period on my own again. I was eventually diagnosed with pcos, which sure mayybe I always had it...but I did not experience any physical symptoms of it before, and like I said for the first 5 years pre-pill I had completely normal and regular monthly periods. I am not the only person with this experience, and even some doctors think that certain subsets of the pcos population may have it as a result of years on the pill. I was unable to get pregnant without fertility drugs, even though I started TTC at 28.


That aside, look into some of the recent things that have come about tying the pill and depression - I believe one article I saw addressed teenagers in particular. All this to say: yes, millions of women take the pill. Yes, in many cases the benefits outweigh the risks / downsides. But...there ARE potential downsides, and it is literally a daily dose of hormones. It's not something to be taken lightly, or forced upon someone who doesn't want to take it. Instead, educate your daughter about safe sex and responsible decision-making, and tell her if/whenever she feels like she does want to go on it, you will help her get a prescription.


Ps it's kind of funny to think about - when I was in high school, girls who wanted to go on the pill would lie and say they had painful periods / acne issues etc...because their parents did not support them going on it (for obvious reasons)

[Anonymous]

Do you know why she doesn’t want to be on birth control? Have you suggested an iud, which is much less cumbersome, generally comes with fewer undesirable side effects, and does not increase the risk of blood clots, which, as a previous poster mentioned, is a legitimate concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why can't she use condoms? Even if she were on the Pill, that's not 100% either because what if she forgets? Maybe she can do a Depo-Provera where it's inserted in the arm or something. But that's her choice, not yours. As long as you're not saddled with her hypothetical child, it's gonna be fine.

Depo is the absolute worst for weight gain.

[Anonymous]

Stop being a control freak, OP. Get help.