Choosing the Right Birth Control: A Guide for Teens

Question
Hello.

I'm 17 years old and I've only been sexually active for about a month now. My boyfriend and I are very paranoid about teen pregnancy because though we both want children in the far future, we also both do NOT want them now. We both have a lot ahead of us over the next 5 or so years of out lives and having a baby would not be ideal. We use condoms, of course. But there have been times where we were careless. We didn't exactly have sex but there was penatration without a condom. it happened three times and two of those times it was only for a couple seconds at the most. But once it was a little more than that. We weren't thinking.. We both agreed afterwards that we were getting to careless in our excitement and there would be no more ANYTHING sexual without a condom. Then we started talking about birth control. Thought it was a good idea so that we could be careless sometimes without having to worry as long as I remembered to take the pills. We will still use condoms to finish, he won't release inside me without one. But it would make us feel comfortable building up to that point without one. I refuse to take the shots and he doesn't want me to take them either. And the patch just seems like it would get annoying and that could possibly fall off, I would think, and not work properly. So the pill is our only option I've done some research but there was no much information it kind of just confused me rather than helped me decide what I was doing.. I know there are tow types, and that one is only really a good idea to use if you are breast feeding or can't take the other one because of a history of blood clots. Because that type is less effective and easier to take wrong become pregnant by mistake. So I won't be taking that one. But there are so many different brands with so many different warnings I don't know what to look at. I don't have a history of blood clots or anything like that as far as I know. I'm 17, like i said before. I know I'm not pregnant because I just started my cycle. My cycle is..somewhat normal but not perfectly. Sometimes it's late, this time it was early, and every once and a while I skip a month. I've been having issues with it lately though. Worse cramps and it clots a lot. I know birth control is supposed to make you more normal so I don't know if that will change what kind I'll need to take.. i have acne but it's not cystic or uncontrolable. I don't have any existing health issues that I know of except hypglycemia but I don't think that's a big deal or anything..

Answer
Dear Roberta,

I don't recommend the birth control pill because of possible hormonal problems. These can be short-term or long-term. I'm proud of you for doing so much research on these subjects. Most young women don't take the time to find out and study. Then when they have a problem, they don't understand why. You're right about the patch and other methods. The patch also has hormones. I didn't do all the research about that or the other methods. Email me at CHERYL51@aol.com so we can talk more. Put ALLEXPERTS in the subject line of your email.

Sincerely,
Diane Cheryl