Birth control pill questions!!

qwerty2

I'm 15 (16 in 2 months) and live with my dad in Ireland. I'm not sexually active yet (have a boyfriend though) and would like to go on the pill just to put my mind 100% at ease!! I don't want to ask my dad to go with me so can anyone give me info on how old you have to be to obtain it without parents being there, how I go about getting it i.e. will I have to go for several appointments at the GP, what will they do when I go for the appointments and how much will it cost to stay on the pill (are there any places to get if for free)?? Also I don't want to go the family GP, so can anyone suggest where I can go whether its another GP or I've heard about family planning/women's health clinics? I live in south Dublin. Thanks for any help!

The Big Red Button

qwerty2 wrote: »

I'm 15 (16 in 2 months) and live with my dad in Ireland. I'm not sexually active yet (have a boyfriend though) and would like to go on the pill just to put my mind 100% at ease!! I don't want to ask my dad to go with me so can anyone give me info on how old you have to be to obtain it without parents being there, how I go about getting it i.e. will I have to go for several appointments at the GP, what will they do when I go for the appointments and how much will it cost to stay on the pill (are there any places to get if for free)?? Also I don't want to go the family GP, so can anyone suggest where I can go whether its another GP or I've heard about family planning/women's health clinics? I live in south Dublin. Thanks for any help!

You should be aware that the pill can really mess up your body, particularly when you're still a teenager. You're still developing and your hormones are all over the place. There are other options such as the contraceptive patch which have a lower concentration of hormones, however they're not suitable for everyone.

Having said that, fair play to you for being responsible and taking steps to get your contraception sorted out. But I would advise you to take your time. The problem with starting on the pill "just in case" is that it might create a situation where you end up having sex with your boyfriend sooner than planned. Just take your time and really think it out before taking that step, as you are still very very young.

I'm not sure what the story is as regards getting the pill at your age without parental consent. However it should only take one appointment (all going well), it'll involve the doctor measuring your weight and height, discussing your general health, taking your blood pressure, and a quick grope of your boobs. You'll then need to get check-ups every six months. The pill I'm on costs 60-65 euro for six months, and I'm not aware of any way you can get it for free.

When I was your age, I had a boyfriend who I really thought I loved and who I felt ready to have sex with. However I made a choice to give it another year ... if I still felt the way, then great, I'd go for it. Well, we ended up not staying together, and afterwards I was so, so happy that I hadn't gone through with it. Put it this way - you're not going to regret not doing it - but there's always a possibility that you'll regret doing it. So you really do need to think long and hard before making any decision.

~me~

hiya,

if you wanna go to a doctor alone then you can, the doc cant actually tell your dad because of patient confidentiality laws. you're almost 16 now and you're being responsible so the doc will talk you through what she thinks is best with or without your dad being there.

they may be reluctant to prescribe you the pill because of your age and if you dont need it (not sexually active, no acne, regular periods).

well woman centres do contraceptives so if you go and talk to them i'm sure they can advise whats best for your age.

http://www.wellwomancentre.ie/index.html

but if you're not sexually active then maybe you may want to leave it a while as it can cause side effects such as nausea, weight gain, breast tenderness and mood swings, among others that i cant remember!

there are different brands and types of pills which vary in price so it depends which one you're prescribed but it is quite costly if you dont actually need it tbh.

its generally just one appointment at the docs to check your bp and talk you through it and then you have a repeat prescription for each month so you dont have to go back.

hope this helps.

Nevyn

Once you are 16 you can see a dr yourself with out a parent.
If you are going see another dr for contraception you may still have to tell your family gp you are on the pill as they will need to know.

I would suggest you read up as much as possible on the oral contracption pill both the combined and mini pill and all the side effects and make a list of quetions to ask a dr.

Going to see the dr usually cost around 50 euros and 1 month of the pill can cost from 11 ot 22 euro depending on the type.

The ifpa have two clincs
http://www.ifpa.ie/eng/Sexual-Health-Services

Is there a centre near to me?
The IFPA’s clinics are based in Dublin City Centre and in the Square Shopping Centre in Tallaght and no matter where you live you are welcome to attend these services.

There are also Family Planning Clinics which are self run but provide most of the services the IFPA run, please see below for details.

Do I have to make an appointment?
Ideally yes. Making an appointment ensures that our staff will have time to see you and that you will not have to wait too long. However you do not have to make an appointment for pregnancy testing and on Sunday we offer a ‘walk-in’ service for emergency contraception.

How long does an appointment last?
This depends entirely on what service you wish, feel free to ask the receptionists when making your appointment.

I don’t know anything about contraception, can you help?
On making an appointment our fully qualified medical staff will be able to answer your queries in person and help you find a method of contraception that suits you. Should you wish to research the individual methods of contraception

Will anyone know about my visit to the IFPA?
The IFPA’s service is completely confidential only the staff member who takes your appointment and your doctor will know about your visit and your information will not be made available to anyone else.

Can I bring a family member or partner with me?
Yes. A client is always given the opportunity to speak to the doctor on his/her own or with a partner/ family member, whichever the client prefers.

Do I have to come with my parent if I am under 17 years of age?
No. You can make an appointment with the service without telling your parents. Your doctor will encourage you to involve your parents or carers, or another supportive adult.

All information, advice and services are confidential. However, health professionals will involve social services if they suspect you, or another person, are at significant risk of sexual abuse or emotional or physical harm. They will not do this without talking to you about this first.

If you are under the age of 16, which is the age of consent for medical procedures, you may need the permission of a parent or guardian to receive certain types of contraception the doctor will be able to discuss this with you at your appointment.

Is you Mam still around, can you talk to her? or do you have an aunt or other adult female that you could talk to about this, it's a big decision and you want to have support.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?con=393
http://www.nehb.ie/womenshealth/faqs-oralpill.htm

qwerty2

Thanks for all the help everyone! My mum is around but I'm not very close with her! I also have my step-mom who I'm not so close with either! My only concern in asking my parents is that they may not believe me when I say that I'm not sexually active as I'm quite sure that they know that I have a boyfriend! I've considered asking and saying its to regulate/lighten my period, even though my periods are fairly regular and not too bad! Any advice??

Nevyn

Well I would go with the condom rule, better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

But it may take your body a while to settled it could be that you are one of those women who can't be on the oral contraceptive pill as the side effects are too harsh on your body or you may have to try a few different types of pill until you find one which doesn't have a large negative impact as the oral contraceptive pill tricks your body into think it is already pregnant.

As for talking with your Mam, can you bring up the topic in general?
As part of the questions which the dr will ask you are about your families medical history
with the pill and certain medical conditions which may run in your family which mean you may not be suited for it.

Could you talk about someone in your class going on it, and find out from her, her opinion on it and if there are family health issues that way.

There are a range of sexual activities that you can indulge in with your bf with out indulging in penetrative sex, so you should also have a talk with your bf about all this, there are two of you in this.

And if they think you are sexually active and question you tell them that you are not but you want to know as much as possible for when you choose to become sexually active and make an informed choice and be prepared rather then have something happen which you may regrets or have worries over.

lazygal

OP the age of consent for sexual intercourse in Ireland is 17. Just thought I'd post this as no-one else seems to have pointed it out.
I'm not moralising or judging, but that's the law whether we like it or not, and yes I know people have sex earlier than that, but the OP is 16 therefore cannot consent to sexual intercourse unless she has married.

minidazzler

lazygal wrote: »

OP the age of consent for sexual intercourse in Ireland is 17. Just thought I'd post this as no-one else seems to have pointed it out.
I'm not moralising or judging, but that's the law whether we like it or not, and yes I know people have sex earlier than that, but the OP is 16 therefore cannot consent to sexual intercourse unless she has married.

Sex is not the only reason to go on the pill.

lazygal

minidazzler wrote: »

Sex is not the only reason to go on the pill.

I am aware of that but the OP has stated she is considering entering into a sexual relationship and that is her reason for considering taking the pill, rather than for period/skin reasons-she said her periods are fine.
Like I said, she is too young to consent, if she is considering entering a sexual relationship, and she should really think about that point.
No more to say on that point. I think my original post speaks for itself.

minidazzler

lazygal wrote: »

I am aware of that but the OP has stated she is considering entering into a sexual relationship and that is her reason for considering taking the pill, rather than for period/skin reasons-she said her periods are fine.
Like I said, she is too young to consent, if she is considering entering a sexual relationship, and she should really think about that point.
No more to say on that point. I think my original post speaks for itself.

Legally too young yes, emotionally, I don't know her so I can't comment. But she is responsible enough to be going on the pill in a just in case situation, she gets respect from me.

She has probably thought about the legalities of it, and realised they are old laws for a weel past generation. If she wants to have sex she will regardless of the laws anyway, so all people can do here is help her make the right decisions about it and answer her questions.

lazygal

minidazzler wrote: »

Legally too young yes, emotionally, I don't know her so I can't comment. But she is responsible enough to be going on the pill in a just in case situation, she gets respect from me.

She has probably thought about the legalities of it, and realised they are old laws for a weel past generation. If she wants to have sex she will regardless of the laws anyway, so all people can do here is help her make the right decisions about it and answer her questions.

This is OT, but they are not old laws-they were amended after the C case in 2003-7 under various criminal justice acts, when the age of consent was decided upon as 17 years of age, and until mid-Victorian times there was no age of consent-Henry the 8th's grandmother was 11 when she was married and gave birth to his father the same year. After various studies and moral decisions, it was decided modern law needed to protect young people, particularly women, from exploitation. Bottom line, if you are under 17, you cannot consent unless you are married. I don't think the debate in terms of this point needs to continue, but the OP should consider the legal position

Nevyn

and everyone obeys the the law and no one ever breaks the speed limit.

I am not going to say that someone who is 16 is not mature enough to make an informed choice on this. She has been advised to talk to an adult relative and that there are many other sexual activies they can indulge in as a couple with out having vaginal penetrative sex.

All aspects of what may go wrong should be talked about from contraception, sti, the legal position and consent as in them both stopping at any stage of the proceedings if either of them says so.

http://www.whc.ie/publications/Children_First_Guidelines.pdf

Comments on ‘Age of Consent’ Guidelines for the Review of Children First
The Guidelines currently state that 17 years is the age of consent for sexual activity for the purpose of criminal law. However, at the moment, a number of different ‘ages of consent’ are set out in Irish law for different purposes.

For instance, the Attorney General has previously advised that the age of consent for heterosexual acts is 17 for girls and 15 for boys. For homosexual acts it is 17 for both.

On the other hand, under Section 23 of the Non Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997, a child becomes an adult for the purposes of consenting to medical or surgical treatment when s/he reaches the age of 16 years. (The age of consent to treatment for mental health is 18 years.) The above situation is unsatisfactory and bound to create confusion. At the moment, in fact, there is a discrepancy between the age of consent contained in the Guidelines, the one used for criminal law purposes, and the one adopted in relation to health treatment. In relation to the latter, this discrepancy has the potential of limiting young people’s access to appropriate sexual health services.


Resent research carried out by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency points to a decrease in the age of sexual initiation, with average age of first sex being 15.5 years (2004). Forty percent of young men and 16% of young women are now becoming sexually active prior to the legal age of consent, and these percentages are rising. During a recent Oireacthas committee presentation, Dr. Clarke, consultant in the GUIDE Clinic, stated that her unit in St. James faced a “legal nightmare” in cases where children presented with STIs. Legally the clinic is obliged to report to the Garda all cases of children under the age of 16 engaging in sexual activity, while at the same time trying to encourage all patients with symptoms to present for treatment. It is of paramount importance that young people are protected against exploitative sexual experiences, but the current policy and legislative situation is not adequate to cater adequately for their sexual health needs in cases of consensual sex. The current situation might not only make them reluctant to access the contraception and STIs services they require, but also discourage them from disclosing exploitative sexual experience for the fear of being criminalised.


As highlighted in the HSE Eastern Region Sexual Health Strategy (2005), few HSE areas have provided their health and social care professionals written legal guidance to overcome the legal discrepancy. At the moment, these professionals are unsure about what services they can and cannot offer. This lack of clarity on the issue puts both service providers and service users at a considerable disadvantage and, in the case of service users, could have a serious negative effect on their wellbeing.

Therefore, it is vital that the issue of consent for sexual activity and medical treatment is reviewed as part of this consultation. Legislative reform is needed in order to align current provisions with the reality of sexuality in Ireland today. While the Guidelines cannot deliver such reform, they can be amended to ensure that no confusion is present in relation to the right of teenagers 16 years of age or older to access sexual health services. Moreover, the adoption of consent guidelines for teenagers younger than 16, such as the Gillick Competence framework, for example, should be investigated. This framework provides guidance for healthcare providers working with young people under the age of 16 in that they can give valid consent for medical examination and treatment – depending upon the nature and seriousness of the decision to be made, in conjunction with the child’s mental and emotional maturity, intelligence and comprehension of the information they have been given. This requires the service provider to make a judgement in each individual situation/case. Finally, the revised guidelines should be accompanied by written legal guidance for all professionals working under their aegis.

It is good that the question of the legal age of consent has been raised and they should talk about it as a couple but I for one will not brow beat the teen in question who is asking for information so she can make the best choices eventually.

Novella

It doesn't matter what the law is, there are a huge amount of teenagers under seventeen who are sexually active, like it or not. Whether we tell the OP it's legal or not isn't really an issue 'cause it's hardly gonna stop her if she wants to have sex. She says she isn't sexually active but just wants to be extra careful which I think is very mature of her and something to be commended.

You need to be sixteen to see a doctor without parental consent, afaik. I suggest bringing up the subject with your mum, or an adult you are close to. Is there any reason your parents don't know you have a boyfriend, by the way? Perhaps if they were aware of this, they'd broach the subject with you themselves.

I see my doctor once every six months and it costs sixty euro and my Pill is 10.60 for six months which is very reasonable.

~me~

anyway she said shes not sexually active so theres no need to lecture her on the issue. she asked a question out of maturity and honesty and i think she deserves to be treated that way in return.
she could have come on and said shes 20 but she didnt so i think most of us felt we could skip the lecture with her.
and tbh id prefer for her to come on here and ask about it and be safe, albeit underage, than go off and get pregnant because she didnt feel she could askabout contraception.
OP- fair play! and sorry for talking about you like you cant speak for yourself!

JLo22

hiya,

fair play 4 havin the cop on to be using contraception when and if u choose 2 sleep with ur boyfriend.

i was on the pill for 3yrs, just came off it recently. i was on 3 diff types till i found the right one, and they all only cost around €20-€25 for a 6 month supply, after going to doc for initial consultation which cost €55. you can get it at ur age without parents present.

just a warning tho, the pill can send ur hormones crazy, so be ready 4 the possibility of mad mood swings, also bigger boobs, increased appetitie/weight gain, and changes in ur periods.... the pill made mine get heavier rather than lighter and they were so bad the cramps were excrutiating, i was having such a heavy flow i had to change pads hourly, and i became anaemic and lost over a stone in a month. i know this doesnt happen to every1, but just said it as a warning to you!

weigh up the facts, and check different types of contraception, and remember u shud still use condoms even if your on the pill