Contraceptive injections for under-16s?

[JanH]

AOL news

Kneejerk reaction to any Margaret Hodge suggestion is to say no! But would it save them from themselves?

JanH the link is just going straight into AOL!

Do we need to have an AOL password to see it?

Oh, is it? bum. It works for me, must be cookies or something. I looked in BBC News but couldn't find it there. I'll have another look, Big C!

Hang on, second thoughts, I will copy and paste.

Margaret Hodge. Once again with a sticky plaster and no real attempt to find out why these children are having sex and getting pregnant or teaching them ways not to. A nice little contraceptive injection to allow them to have as much sex as they want with no stops. Nothing about stds and how easily they are transmitted, nothing about valuing themselves and not going along with the trend. Ooh. Makes my blood boil. With HIV still such a large part of society does the woman think that an injection is going to help. Sorry, but I do think if the government are going to poke their noses in they should look at the causes and look to prevention rather than running around pretending to be responsible. (what do you hear, bitterness and disgust? That'll be about right then)

What an interesting solution to low self-esteem: more efficient contraception.

How very depressing any story about Margaret Hodge ever is.

am horrified by the idea. as marslady points out, this is going to do nothing to stop the spread of STDs, as it will discourage condom use. also look at the possible side-effects of the depo-provera, such as several months of irregular bleeding and irreversible nature for 3 - 6 months after it has been taken. Several years ago it was suggested at a family planning clinic that I try depo-provera as it was "trendy". Now there is a way of obtaining informed consent!!!

This isn't exactly going to promote the use of condoms to prevent STD's is it? I can just hear it now - "I didn't need them. My girlfriend was on the pill." Not much of a consolation when you have HIV.

I'm also very uncomfortable with the idea that the responsibility for contraception is being put solely on the girls. What about the boys/men? What does this kind of attitude teach them???

CRAZINESS!!!

Here you go girls, we're making it a little easier for you to shag whoever you want, don't worry if you catch a nasty std or anything else, at least you won't have a dreaded baby!!!

Oh and by the way, if you notice you are putting on weight, don't worry you are definitely not pg, just a side effect of the injection. And if you notice more spots, or irregular bleeding, that too is just a side effect. But again, far better than having a dreaded baby.

So go for it girls, enjoy your knew found freedom!!

CRAZINESS!!!

Here you go girls, we're making it a little easier for you to shag whoever you want, don't worry if you catch a nasty std or anything else, at least you won't have a dreaded baby!!!

Oh and by the way, if you notice you are putting on weight, don't worry you are definitely not pg, just a side effect of the injection. And if you notice more spots, or irregular bleeding, that too is just a side effect. But again, far better than having a dreaded baby.

So go for it girls, enjoy your knew found freedom!!

CRAZINESS!!!

Here you go girls, we're making it a little easier for you to shag whoever you want, don't worry if you catch a nasty std or anything else, at least you won't have a dreaded baby!!!

Oh and by the way, if you notice you are putting on weight, don't worry you are definitely not pg, just a side effect of the injection. And if you notice more spots, or irregular bleeding, that too is just a side effect. But again, far better than having a dreaded baby.

So go for it girls, enjoy your knew found freedom!!

ooops now that is craziness!!

WTF!!!
As if hormones levels in humans are not already high by that age, why not add some more just to make sure...
The other issue: quite frankly if they're stupid enough not to use condoms at that age ...
It really pisses me off when I hear of stories like this. It's quite clear such (very) young girls have no other interest in life other than shagging around. I just don't have time for people like this.

here's a link girls
teenage contraception

Thanks for the link JT. I am speechless and can't even be bothered to comment on it. What is the world coming to, eh?!

well here I go again but do you think part of the problem is we're encouraging our kids to grow up to soon?
Little girls are dressing like mini versions of models and pop stars - where has the age of innocence gone?
I remember a while back on Richard & Judy they had mothers on with girls as young as 9 - who have waxes for goodness sake!

absolutely JT. I didn't even know what the word 'penis' meant until I came accross it somewhere when I was 13-14 (I knew the street version of it of course). And all my girlfriends and male friends had so many other interests to occupy our minds and time with, sex was never such a hot topic until we were teenagers. And no, we were not backward in any way if you're wondering. I mean, you ahve your whole life ahead of you to explore it why complicate life so early on. It's all down to kids not having other interests I think. Peer pressure comes after that, if you know what you want in life, you're less likely to follow all the sheep, instead they might follow you. Really, some teenagers (and I stress 'some' not all) have no direction in this life whatsoever. No concept of the future.

what was she waxing at 9?? poor child...

their bloody legs! Even Judy was saying 'why not?' - give me strength!

OMG!!!
What am I going to do now??!! I have a daughter!!
Should I keep her indoors until she's 18 or wait until she's 21??

Joking aside, how ridiculous is that? Surely it must have hurt!
BTW, haven't watched Richard & Judy in ages. it clashes with Dora the Explorer, then it's tea time and can't watch it

well this was ages ago - I don't really watch - just happened to catch this bit but wish I hadn't!

At least we don't have those pageants like in America - I could weep over those!

The idea that some youngsters are "shagging around" and have no other interest in life and have no direction in life with the implication that they are a waste of space and one should not have time for them is imho aiming your disbelief at the wrong people whilst taring all young mums with the same brush. I am afraid that I find it rather offensive. Young people are products of their society and environment and the responsibilty is wide spread.

Imo part of the problem of the number of teenage pregnancies in this society is denial. To deny that some young people have sex or to write them off because they do is adding to the problem. Young people need to be well informed and able to make choices that suit them and whilst I do not particularly like much of what Margaret Hodge has said parental responsibility and self esteem do come into this equation.

However, the idea that every teenager to get pregnant has got pregnant through irresponsibility is frankly false. There but for the grace of whatever goes many.

According to my dr who I spoke to last week on the very subject: 1 in 100 women on the pill get pregnant. 2 in 1000 women with the coil get pregnant. And statistically 10-15% of condom use is ineffective esp amongst teenagers. Better sex education is needed.

Teenagers (and adults) need to know that if they are having sex using whatever form of contraception a pregnancy may occur and if it does are they prepared to deal with the choices they will have.

Surely combining different forms of contraception is best esp regarding STDs... but denying that teenagers may need contraception is very unhelpful.

I am not sure where I stand on the subject of under 16's being given contracptive injections, as somone else sadi it is a sticking plaster and the real causes and issues need to be examined and dealt with. What I am in favour of is teenagers learning to take responsibility for their actions and if they are having sex they need contraception.

That's it once dd hits double figures (OK a long way away ...) she is never leaving the house without me!!!
This is total madness and a subject quite close to my heart as I used to work for a Uni department that undertook a lot of research into teenage pregnancy and sexual behaviour. The theory was that since you can't prevent young people having sex then you can at least try and ensure that they are aware of contraception, STDs and the implications of not practising safe sex and then hopefully can make informed choices. Some of this was achieved via peer workers, ie. older 'trained and informed' teenagers visiting groups of younger teenagers (ie at school and youth clubs) and spreading the word as it were, in the ways that young people understand and giving them an opportunity to discuss issues affecting them in a non judgemental forum. I don't know if that particular project is still running but it was seen as innovative at the time. I think projects like this should be seen as the norm and should be encouraged - however, once again it probably all boils down to money. Surely better to do this than go round jabbing all the teenage girls thus promoting the idea that the boys are free from any responsility! Ohh I'm getting all het up now!!!

winnie1 I like your post, however although i agree with what you say that
"Young people are products of their society and environment and the responsibilty is wide spread", I'd have to say that is wide spread up to a point. As long as the individual has made the choice to have sex he/she should carry on with the consequenses. After all they might be 14 but they're not brain dead, they are responsabile for their own actions. We need to stop blaming society , environment, parents upbringing for what goes wrong in people's lifes, otherwise everybody is doing the right thing is just the society's fault it went wrong anywhere.
And I'm afraid, i stand to what I said earlier but I see your point of view which probabbly sounds &looks better and more humane than mine from an objective perspective.

Nikkichik, indeed boys are as responsible (if not more) in ensuring sex is safe and minimise risks of STD and unwanted pregnancies. This groups you are talking about sound like a very good idea. If only they were spread on a wider scale. Then again, it depends on teh age they are aimed at. If we're talking about 14 year olds, do we really want to teach them when they are only 13 about sex, safe sex, pregnacies and contraception? Would we encourage it or they'd just learn the facts? I don't know the answer to that. I only hope my DD will be smart enough when she comes of age to make informed decisions and look after herself.

Branster, I'm afraid I can't remember what age the project was aimed at but I do see see what you mean. However, some 13/14 year olds are already having sex anyway so when is the best age to start this kind of thing? As with you I would hope that when my dd gets to that age she will be sufficiently smart to look out for herself and ask questions first.

whatever happened to the injection or implant for boys? does anyone know i m very inerested.

i have a 15 year old boy and if this was available i would be down the docs as we speak.

when my girl is 14 or 15 i will seriously consider taking her to the docs as well.

we have an open household and whilst on holiday this year and my lad was getting very friendly with a girl - apart from telling him he was gonna get arrested if he had sex - and we were in another country so my powers would be severely limited - he would probably sit in a french jail becuase we have no money to get legal advice, apart from telling him that protection isn't fool proof and std's can still occure, apart from telling him that when the girls dad shows up and wants to beat his face in how we wernt gonna stop him - i gave him a condom. with the brilliant advice of - "if i am a granny before the age of 35 am gonna kick him round half of france.

as a parent it is my responsability to keep my children safe. these conversations are strange in that we "give" teenagers under 16 credit and values and assumption of responsability - leaving parents with a great get out and the excuses to ignore its even happening.

when my children were 3 i stopped them running into the road. when my children are of an age they may be sexually active it is still my responsability to guide them as a parent and i hold strongly to that responsability.

we are catholic - regular church goers however catholicism does not define my views but rather is a way to express my faith ( another thread sometime) however my children go to a catholic school where my 15 yr old was telling me that sex ed class this week consisted of a video with an american women and the first thing she said is "no sex before marriage" he said the class groaned and completely switched off.

why a girl becomes pregnant at 14 is a big area and has many facets, howver i would be more proud of my daughter or son if at 14 knowing they were likely to have sex they either talked to me or even without my consent went to the doctors and asked for contraception.