SEX AND PREGNANCY: THE REAL DEAL

SEX AND PREGNANCY: THE REAL DEAL

Becky came in from Public Health and gave a fabulous sex and pregnancy training for Teen Link volunteers. We learned a lot about the services the Public Health teen clinics provide. At the teen clinics, if you are under 21, you can get birth control, plan B, condoms, pregnancy testing, and STD testing for FREE. With 7 locations in King County for you to choose from, the teen clinics are very accessible, and of course, they are confidential. Check out their website: http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/locations/teenclinics.aspx

 Becky also informed us about an insurance called take charge which allows women, men, and teens to get free birth control. You must visit a public health clinic to sign up for this insurance. Check it out: http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/personal/insurance/takecharge.aspx .

For show and tell, Becky brought in several goodies. She passed around a birth control patch, a Birth control vaginal ring, and an implantable hormonal contraceptive for all to examine.

We also learned that besides your traditional condom that is placed over the penis, female condoms and dental dams are tools we can use.

Why use a female condom? Some like how they feel; and they are a great way to change things up!

Why use a dental dam? Cold sores around your mouth are a form of herpes that can be transferred to the genitals. Thus, if you have cold sores, using a dental dam can help prevent you from giving your partner genital herpes. They also come in fun flavors like cherry and vanilla. (No pun intended).

Becky discussed the importance of using neutral language when speaking with people who believe they may be pregnant. Avoid phrases like “your baby”, and questions like “are you going to give it up?”

Instead, some questions you might say or ask are: “you’re pregnancy” “how are you feeling about this” “are there any options you are considering?” You can also pass along these resources so that they have somewhere to go to get more information.  

The public health teen clinic is also LGBTQI friendly, and their business card proudly sports a rainbow flag to prove it.

Teen Link would like gives a big thanks to Becky and all the wonderful people who work at the public health sites for creating a safe and private place for people our age to talk about their options.  

~Written and posted by a Teen Link Volunteer~