An interesting and heated debate is occurring in Scotland, where the Clinical Effectiveness Unit of the Faculty of Reproductive Medicine is encouraging general practitioners and health clinics to consider talking to teen girls, including girls as young as 13 years of age, about long-term birth control methods like implants and injections.
The Daily Express reports:
The guidance, from the Clinical Effectiveness Unit of the Faculty of Reproductive Medicine,    states doctors should “highlight the benefits” of long-lasting injections, coils and implants to  teenagers, rather than simply prescribe the contraceptive pill.
Girls as young as 13 can be given the long-lasting contraceptives without their parents’ knowledge, provided the GP has no concerns about child abuse or exploitation. Dr Louise Melvin, a Glasgow-based medic and author of the guidance, said: “We wanted to highlight the fact that long-acting contraceptives are cost-effective and more likely to reduce unintended pregnancy, to promote choice and appropriate use of contraception.
“The contraceptive pill is good for some people, but for individuals who are not good at taking a pill, long-acting methods are better.”
Although the country is seeing a slight decrease in overall teen pregnancy numbers, they are also noticing an alarming increase in teen pregnancy in girls age 14 and younger.
The move toward increasing contraceptive access has generated heated debate regard what age is too young to be eligible receive contraception. From condoms in schools to HPV vaccines, the argument always involves one side claiming that such moves corrupt young teens and encourage illegal sexual activity, while the other advocates that in some communities, young adolescents are already engaging in sexual behavior and it is necessary to assist young women in preventing pregnancy and protecting their health.
Is 13 years-old too young for contraception? It’s hard to say. I think we can all agree that 13 years old is too young to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. Some argue injections and implants would be easier for a sexually active young teen than a daily method like the pill, although it would not provide the additional protections against sexually transmitted diseases afforded by condoms.
I have a friend who got pregnant at 12 years old and had her baby at 13 years old. Had she had education and access to contraceptives the pregnancy could have been avoided as she may have been ready to have sex but she certainly wasn’t ready for a baby.
I have other friends who from the age of 15 due to lack of education and proper use of contraceptives used abortion as a form of birth control one of whom experienced 5 abortions before starting her family.
Children are getting sexually active younger by the year so it is our duty as adults, parents, teachers, nurses and doctors to educate our children on the consequences of sex and provide them with safe and effective protection regardless of their age.
I don’t have children but when I do they will be educated at a young age and if I happen to have a girl she will be getting an implant and a lifetime supply of condoms at 13 years old – not to encourage sex, if they are going to do it then they are going to do it, but to ensure her sexual health and help ward off an unwanted pregnancy at a young age.
Daily Express Link: Fury Over Contraceptive Jabs For Girls Aged Just 13
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/186439/Fury-over-contraceptive-jabs-for-girls-aged-just-13