Are all school nurses now encouraging teenage girls to have the contraceptive implant?

[idohopenot]

Apparently the dc's school nurse is really keen on them having it, and claims the government wants all school nurses to push it strongly, to bring down the nation's high teen pregnancy rate.

Is this the case in your dc's schools?

I had only heard of it in Southampton, and thought it was a trial, not a new national policy.

Warren, they are no longer advocating condom use as well, it seems.

They are saying "realistically" that may not happen.

However I'm heartened to read that your generation DID use both pill and condom. Does anyone know if kids still do that? (My dc still rather young.)

Yes, Swallowedafly, that's how I feel about pregnancy.

If one of the dd's got pregnant, I would do a vast vast amount to help bring up the child. If one of them got HIV, I would nurse her. But I know which I would rather do.

Wrong on so many levels. This is definitely something, as women, we should be railing against. And encouraging daughters not to have sex at all. If a boy does not respect her enough to wear a condom she should not be sleeping him - end of. Why should a young girl be subjected to the possibility of STDs. Boys and girls should have condom use shoved down their throat all the time and the message of self respect and respect for others all the time. In fact does this happen? Sex education has gone wrong somewhere in this country.

I can't believe it in fact. As well as being detrimental to the young girls in terms of their own sexual health, this is an example of the patriarchal society gone mad. This is entirely a feminist issue, as well as a general hygiene issue.

This is actually one of those things I would go out into the street for to protest against.

It is shocking.

Fair enough to give girls contraceptive options if they ask their GPs.

NOT o.k. in any way to let a school (a SCHOOL!) make decisions about this.

There are options you know, like condoms.

I think that giving condoms to boys would be a better option.

Burt REALLY, any man or boy "grown up enough" to get a girl pregnant should be made responsible for at least half the cost of raising this child.

Why is it o.k. for men in the UK the get girls p[regnant without having to accept any of the responsibilities? This is all just so fucked up, even Aldous Huxley could not have made it up ...getting all the lovely little girls ready and instantly fuckable for the boys' pleasure. No consequences. Nice...

Really shocked. What about chlamydia? Feels like girls are encouraged to be sexually available with no protection of their bodies.

Yes, I don't understand why they're not concerned about HIV spread?

I think there is the view that chlamydia (sp) is curable. So just keep testing and treating.

That can't be true surely that they aren't also promoting condoms.

They should be dishing them out free to boys and girls totally agree with that.

Idohopenot you need to talk to the school ASAP

Thanks, I'm glad people don't think I'm over-reacting.

What the nurse said was that responsible sex would involve condoms but drunk sex probably wouldn't.

I don't think condoms are being given out, just the implants.

I would like to hear what other school nurses are doing, though.

YANBU about the implant. Girls are not fully developed and no one really knows the long term effects. But more importantly condoms should be the main form of contraception among teens IMO. Not sure why this thread is so anti boys though - I mean they can get STDs too so it is not in their interest not to use a condom.

It is horrifying that they are praising the scheme for cutting teen pregnancies but are completely ignoring the almost guaranteed rise in STDs. These stats are notably absent.

A friend of mine had the implant recently and it was awful for her; she is a grown woman who could make this decision having looked at all the facts first. She ended up having to have it removed, a procedure which took 40 minutes of pain. I would be furious at a school happily implanted my young daughter with something like this.

i personally feel that for implants you should have to be 18yo or have parental consent. it's not like the pill - it has long lasting effects that cannot easily be reversed. and when they're handing hormone contraceptive to girls do they even know their medical history re: migraines plus hormonal contraception equals horribly increased risk of stroke. or are they just taking a child's word for it that they're ok to take it and then giving it?

this is reckless. there is no way they perform invasive medical treatments on boys that could have serious side effects and consequences yet with girls it's now the norm and from as young as 13 without parental involvement? it's wrong.

Sorry, don't mean to be anti-boy, Yorkpud. I have dc of both genders! It's just they're not suggesting implants in boys, are they? No hormone disruption for them?

I agree re drunk sex - not in anyone's interests.

STDs more easily passed boy to girl than vice versa.
Girls more likely to be having sex with older boys/men. That is the other thing - on another thread on here apparently it is fine to give implants but not talk to girl about relationship and if it is coercive / abusive then do something or think about doing something.

Yes, they are taking the child's word on medical history. Like they'd know.

In terms of STDs the risk groups go

male to male
male to female
female to male
female to female

Women who exclusively have sex with women have very low incidence of STDs

I don't think you're over reacting at all.

My daughter had sex education recently and says that while they were told that while the implant is a popular option, the only option to prevent infections was to use condoms.

girls catch stds far more readily than straight men.

Yes, and girls more likely to be shamed into doing what "everyone else is". Especially if recommended by the school nurse.

Maybe that's what they should be telling the girls in school.

I don't imagine that would get a very positive response

I felt it would be assault. Then I wondered if I was being a bit...extreme. But now I think...not so extreme.

Also, imagine if your dd suddenly went hormonally bonkers on you, and you had no idea she had this thing in her arm. It could be really serious, the parents not knowing.