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Alyssa Llerena

Ms. Ingram

American Literature

30 April 2015

Best Form of Protection for Teenage Girls

Having sexual intercourse is a big deal no matter the age. Teenage girls should know all

of the responsibilities that come along with having sexual intercourse. Whether women are

having it with someone they love or just for pleasure, they should always have a form of

protection to prevent pregnancies or any sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Taking birth

control is one way to make sure girls are having safe sex. The female hormone, estrogen, found

in most oral contraceptives helps clear skin because the levels of testosterone are reduced. While

taking birth control there may be lighter cramping and less pain during women’s period. It is

beneficial for teenage girls to take birth control to prevent unwanted pregnancies, help regulate

menstrual cycles, and clear their skin.

One of the many difficult situations teenagers are introduced to is whether to start engaging

in sexual intercourse. Once you start having sex it comes with the responsibility of protection

STDs and unwanted pregnancies. Taking oral contraceptives (OCs) can slash your risk for both

endometrial and ovarian cancer by more than 70 percent after 12 years; even just one to five

years may lower your risk by 40 percent. Over the years, birth control methods have been

practice to prevent those situations. Today, there are many ways to take birth control: the pill,

ring, shot, cervical cap, condom, emergency contraception, IUD, fertility awareness, and

withdrawal. “The pill and female sterilization have been the two most commonly used methods

since 1982” (“Contraceptive Use in the United States” 3). Female sterilizations procedures are
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irreversible. Blocking a woman’s fallopian by cutting the tubes occurs during a sterilization

procedure.

Birth control can help relieve many painful period symptoms. “Prostaglandins are important

in that they cause the uterus to contract to slough off the uterine lining during menstruation”.

Prostaglandins, actuates muscle contractions, causing uterine cramping and discomfort that

women undergo during their period cycle. The quantity of prostaglandins the body pumps out is

reduced which makes women experience less discomfort when you are on oral contraceptives.

Results of women taking oral contraceptives describe their menstrual cycles to be lighter,

bearable and less painful cramps. The main causes of premenstrual syndrome symptoms are

various hormonal behaviors occurring the second half of the menstrual cycle. Taking birth

control can improve premenstrual symptoms by stabilizing all of the hormones running through

the body. Some birth control methods help teen girls by rejecting an ovarian cyst from growing

back on the ovary. “The pill can fix irregular periods, reduce iron deficiencies (as less blood is

shed during menstruation) and reduce the risk of benign cysts in the breasts or ovaries” (Freeman

6). A sac with fluid that can be found in ovaries, are cysts. There are many different types of

ovarian cysts. “It forms during ovulation. That formation happens when either the egg is not

released or the sac -- follicle -- in which the egg forms does not dissolve after the egg is

released” (“Ovarian Cysts and Tumors” 3). The most reliable methods of birth control for

women to use to have less ovarian cysts are the pill, patch, ring, and the shot. “Anemia is a

condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells

provide oxygen to body tissues” (“Anemia” 1). Fatigue and weakness are characteristics that

contribute to anemia. The amounts of blood decline almost every month for women who suffer

from heavy periods, which can lead to anemia. “Going on hormonal birth control makes periods
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shorter and lighter, so you lose less blood and aren’t robbed of your stamina...” (Crain 6).

Fortunately, birth control helps protect women from getting anemia as well. Taking birth control

can also treat endometriosis. Endometriosis is when the uterine-lining tissue goes through and

out of the uterus. It can attatch onto ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or other pelvic areas. Due to

the total number of tissues in other areas, it can prevent ovulation. “Going on the pill, however,

reduces monthly uterine buildup and shedding, slowing or stopping the migration and growth of

uterine tissue to other parts of your reproductive tract” (Crain 2). Thus, women who experience

endometriosis have a longer time before attempting to get pregnant, due to their minimization of

their detrimental reproductive system. Several types of birth control decrease chances of cancer.

“Taking oral contraceptives (OCs) can slash your risk for both endometrial and ovarian cancer

by more than 70 percent after 12 years; even just one to five years may lower your risk by 40

percent” (Graham par 2). The shot, the implant, and the hormonal IUD, defend against

endometrial cancer. “The thinking here is that hormonal BC blocks ovulation and evens out

natural hormone imbalances, leading to less exposure to potentially damaging hormones...”

(Crain par 8). To stimulate cell changes in the ovaries that may lead to cancer happens during

ovulation. All hormonal methods lessen the amount of times ovulation. There are several ways of

birth control used to protect unwanted pregnancies. Today, teenagers are tempted to get

involved in sexual intercourse because teens are exposed to sex through television, magazines,

and songs they hear on the radio. "Almost sixty percent of the 6.3 million pregnancies that occur

annually in the United States are unintended.... One important cause is the failure to use effective

forms of birth control...” (Law 5). If a teenage girl gets pregnant, it will be difficult for her and

her family. A teen pregnancy can lead to poverty. If a girl knows that she was having

unprotected sex and it comes down to an emergency, there is a pill called the “morning after
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pill.” Girls should take this right after they have had unprotected sex and are worried. But the

morning after pill will won’t work if the women is already pregnant, its not supposed to be used

as a regular birth control pill. Several researchers believe, “Preventing pregnancies improves the

health and longevity of mothers while improving the lives and health of their children” (Schmall

1). In the United States, approximately 750,000 teens become pregnant each year and most

didn’t intend to (“About Birth Control” 2). Birth control methods should be available in schools

to help sexually active girls by preventing premeditated pregnancy; so teenage girls can be safe,

healthy, and poised.

When teenage girls are taking birth control, there might be some side effects. The side effects

are, migraines, nausea, risks of strokes, and blood clots. Dr. Shilpi Agarwal said, “...birth control

pills contain estrogen, women who take them are at increased risk of developing blood clots”

(Agarwal par 5). These side effects should not be disregarded while taking birth control; girls

should not be deprived of oral contraceptives. Birth control pills that contain drospirenone,

including YAZ and Yasmin, have been scrutinized by the FDA because of the probability that

they may cause an increased risk for blood clots. Drospirenone is a man-made version of the

hormone progesterone. Other brands containing this include Beyaz, Safyral, Gianvi, Loryna,

Ocella, and Zarah. “For quite some time reliable birth control was elusive. Men relied on

methods like withdrawal, and women attempted to block access to the cervix...” (Boston 2).

Men and women that are in sexually active relationships would rather not get pregnant but do not

use birth control regularly or not at all. There are times when women are not using the pill

properly a period may be missed or skipped. Several factors can influence this such as outside

stress, illness, travel or at times hormonal and or thyroid abnormalities. Despite the failure of

medical studies to uncover that birth control pills cause weight gains, some women do
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experience some fluid retention, especially in the hip and breast areas. When young girls are

having sexual intercourse they think its very unlikely for them to get pregnant, but studies show

that 4 out of 5 pregnancies among girls younger than 19 are unplanned and unwanted. Othe4r

teens are worried about their parents finding out that they are having sex, but if you ask the

doctor to keep your information private there wont be a problem. Every medicine people take

are always going to come with some type of side effect but its either side effects or unwanted

pregnancies.

In conclusion, the benefits of birth control are crucial to not just teenage girls’ lives, but

women everywhere around the world. Teenage girls are pressured with sexual intercourse in

today’s society through music and television shows. Birth control should be available to teenage

girls’ needs. If they want it then they should responsively be able to get it to fulfill their needs. If

sexually active girls are more cautious by taking birth control, there will be less unwanted

pregnancies and more time to balance a healthy and safe lifestyle.

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