While most parents do not want to think that their teen daughters would be engaging in sexual activities, more parents today are realizing that this is a common occurrence. If you are a parent of a teen girl and want to help her protect herself during sexual activities, you may want to consider taking her to an OBGYN to discuss birth control options and methods for having safe sex. This topic can be embarrassing for parents and teens, but taking this step could prevent your daughter from developing a disease and getting pregnant. Here are some of the options the doctor may discuss with you and her.  

Types Of Birth Control

One of the most common forms of birth control is daily pills. These are highly effective; however, they require discipline. Your daughter must remember to take a pill each and every day to be fully protected from pregnancy. If you do not think your daughter is responsible enough to do this daily, you may want to consider a different option.

Birth control shots is a good alternative to pills, and these shots will typically be required only once every 12 weeks, and they are highly effective too. The shots work by releasing progestin into the body. This is a hormone that prevents the eggs from leaving a woman's ovaries. It also causes the cervical mucus to thicken. Because of the way this hormone works, it is very difficult to get pregnant when using the shots regularly. The bad part of this is that it requires shots, which some people do not like. The good part is that once your daughter gets the shot, she will be protected for three months.  

A third option is a vaginal ring. This is something your daughter would have to insert into her vagina every three to four weeks. It too is highly effective, and it is easier to remember to do compared to pills.

Ways To Stay Protected From Diseases

While birth control protects against pregnancy, the options described here do not protect against sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs). In addition to choosing a birth control method, the OBGYN should also discuss ways for your daughter to protect herself against STDs. Here are some of the options for this:

• Limit sexual relations to one person
• Use condoms during each sexual experience
• Get vaccinations
• Get examined and tested regularly

While abstinence is the best way for your teen to protect herself from pregnancy and STDs, it might not be a realistic approach. If you would like to learn more about this, schedule an appointment with an OB doctor (such as Tod Stillson MD) today.