If you’re a young adult female currently seeking to engage in sex with your partner it is your responsibility to look out for your reproductive health. This means taking the necessary precautions to ensure that your activities do not lead to any sexually-transmitted infection, or STIs, that can affect your body’s health and well-being. The best course of action, in this case, is to protect yourself with the proper Birth Control methods and STI Testing; and this entails talking to an adult about these things. We at Parkmed NYC would like you to try and talk with your parents first: they are, after all, the primary adults who take care of you. They can also help you in getting the necessary reproductive health services such as Birth Control, STD Testing, and Vaccines (like the HPV Vaccine).
Obviously, you may feel some apprehension broaching the topic with your parents. More often than not your parents will be initially taken aback, but they should eventually appreciate the fact that you went to them instead of someone else. Introduce the subject gently, perhaps with an opening like: “Mom, Dad, please don’t be angry; but I need to tell you something important, so please listen to me first. You know I’ve been seeing ______ for a while now. We’ve been thinking of taking our relationship deeper; and we are thinking about having sex. Before we do, though, I want to be protected and safe; so I need your help with Birth Control and STD Testing. Could we talk about it?”
Your parents should support you on this, as they are looking out for you. However, if circumstances may make you hesitant to tell them; tell a trusted adult instead: your relative or sibling, the school nurse, or; depending on where you are, a doctor. The important thing is to tell an adult and seek their help before you have sex.
Parkmed NYC is a physician-owned clinic that offers professional reproductive healthcare solutions such as Birth Control Services, Abortion Services, and STD Testing Services. We provide a safe, compassionate, and comfortable environment to help you deal with your reproductive health concerns. Give us a call at 212-686-6066 or contact us online for all of your questions, for more information, or to schedule an appointment with us (accompanied by your parents or guardian, of course).