Contraceptive implants: parents 'should be told' (From Daily Echo)

Setting aside religous and moral issues, which I accept will be difficult if not impossible for some readers, let us look at the facts as presented.

'Hundreds of readers' have backed the 'Echo's 'campaign' to have parents informed if their teenaged girls are given contraceptives.

Exactly how many is unclear, since the Echo chooses not to disclose this information. Strange, really- because it is in their interest to do so to maximise their efforts. Unless, of cours, the figure is 200 or so- which makes a nonsense of the whole campaign.

We are, however, informed how many implants are fitted. Read the article to find out. Now divide the total number of possible recipients by that number to get a percentage. Ask an adult to help you if you need to. Anyone who gets a figure higher than 1 go back and try again.

Now write to the Echo and ask how many unwanted teenage pregnancies there were in Soton last year. Again, divide the total number of potential mothers by this number. If you come up with a number less than one, try again.

Now ask any friends with teenage daughters if they want their children to become parents before leaving school. Divide the total number of schoolgirls by this number to get a percentage. If you get a number less than 90% you are fooling yourself.

And 60% if people want the service SCRAPPED?

Totally irresponsible 'journalism' here, absolutely no social conscience, anything for a sale.

Amusing to see such a patronising post from someone who clearly doesn't know how to calculate a percentage

Goldenwight wrote:
Setting aside religous and moral issues, which I accept will be difficult if not impossible for some readers, let us look at the facts as presented.

'Hundreds of readers' have backed the 'Echo's 'campaign' to have parents informed if their teenaged girls are given contraceptives.

Exactly how many is unclear, since the Echo chooses not to disclose this information. Strange, really- because it is in their interest to do so to maximise their efforts. Unless, of cours, the figure is 200 or so- which makes a nonsense of the whole campaign.

We are, however, informed how many implants are fitted. Read the article to find out. Now divide the total number of possible recipients by that number to get a percentage. Ask an adult to help you if you need to. Anyone who gets a figure higher than 1 go back and try again.

Now write to the Echo and ask how many unwanted teenage pregnancies there were in Soton last year. Again, divide the total number of potential mothers by this number. If you come up with a number less than one, try again.

Now ask any friends with teenage daughters if they want their children to become parents before leaving school. Divide the total number of schoolgirls by this number to get a percentage. If you get a number less than 90% you are fooling yourself.

And 60% if people want the service SCRAPPED?

Totally irresponsible 'journalism' here, absolutely no social conscience, anything for a sale.

Taking away Moral issues is exactly why stories like this are even in existence. Bringing back morals is what is desperately needed.

Goldenwight wrote:
Setting aside religous and moral issues, which I accept will be difficult if not impossible for some readers, let us look at the facts as presented.

'Hundreds of readers' have backed the 'Echo's 'campaign' to have parents informed if their teenaged girls are given contraceptives.

Exactly how many is unclear, since the Echo chooses not to disclose this information. Strange, really- because it is in their interest to do so to maximise their efforts. Unless, of cours, the figure is 200 or so- which makes a nonsense of the whole campaign.

We are, however, informed how many implants are fitted. Read the article to find out. Now divide the total number of possible recipients by that number to get a percentage. Ask an adult to help you if you need to. Anyone who gets a figure higher than 1 go back and try again.

Now write to the Echo and ask how many unwanted teenage pregnancies there were in Soton last year. Again, divide the total number of potential mothers by this number. If you come up with a number less than one, try again.

Now ask any friends with teenage daughters if they want their children to become parents before leaving school. Divide the total number of schoolgirls by this number to get a percentage. If you get a number less than 90% you are fooling yourself.

And 60% if people want the service SCRAPPED?

Totally irresponsible 'journalism' here, absolutely no social conscience, anything for a sale.

Wholeheartedly agree with you!

i would just like to point out the frequent and improper use of the word "children" in this article. the writer is clearly attempting to paint a picture in the readers head that a bunch of 10 year olds are being given the green light to have sex, i seriously doubt this is the case!

the 33 "teenagers" or "young adaults" ONE of whom was ALMOST 14 that were given the implant were all clearly capable of deciding for themselves to approach this service to protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and if they had wanted their parents to know, they would have TOLD them about it.

personally, i wish this service had been available when i was 14! as in 1998 when i WAS 14 in my class of 33 students, 4 of them became mothers before they hit 16 and at least 3 had abortions...

this could have been avoided had this service been in place.

before i get jumped on i would like to point out that i do not condone promiscuity, underage sex or promoting sex.

but short of locking your daughters up, how else are you going to stop them from having free will?
i was always taught right from wrong, had a good upbringing and knew about the age of concent, risk of sti/unwanted pregnancy etc....but it didnt stop me from doing all sorts of things i shouldnt have been doing regardless of how much my parents told me not to

just saying....

Its the parents of many of these so called children that should have had the implants in place fifteen or sixteen years ago.

Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

I remember at 13 I'd be taken out and the weekend by my parents. We'd go to the cinema or out for a meal, I was never allowed to 'go out' unsupervised. The same happens in most of Europe and America. We live in a strange culture where kids don't properly mix with adults, if they did everyone would be much happier as we'd all know what eachother was doing.

The problem with this survey is that it relies on a group of interfering busybodies being asked a question which massively simplifies the issue and is framed in such a way as to generate the response the people asking it want to hear.

Condor Man wrote:
I remember at 13 I'd be taken out and the weekend by my parents. We'd go to the cinema or out for a meal, I was never allowed to 'go out' unsupervised. The same happens in most of Europe and America. We live in a strange culture where kids don't properly mix with adults, if they did everyone would be much happier as we'd all know what eachother was doing.

That explains a lot! ;)

I lived in Spain for a few years and 13 year olds are allowed out on their own lol... much more than ours are in fact and believe me pregnancy and sex happens in Spain too. Spain and France aren't far behind the UK if you care to look.

As I keep saying, you can have the most darling and gorgeous of children but other things come into play like social networking, peer pressure, schooling, etc. Even private schools have a LOT of input around this subject so those of you who think they are immune are kidding themselves. I was watching the programme on BB3 about Sun, sex and suspicious parents and if you watched the peer pressure on there I think you would understand a bit more. Kids are pressured all sorts of ways now, through TV, internet, mobiles/texts etc that we weren't when we were young.

That said, I totally disagree that kids should be given the implant (or the pill in school) without the parents knowing. I don't object to them being given information all about contraception available just anythng that 'could' affect their health. If a young person really wants to go on the pill or they have an implant, they should go to their GP or a FP clinic where a full medical history and checks are taken. Other non-invasive methods then fine, kids need to be taught about contraception, whether they're having sex or not they need to be prepared as and when they do (over 16 or not). You won't ever stop kids who are under 16 having sex together, it's always happened it isn't just confined to the 21st century! What we can do is try to keep our kids 'safe' and guide them as closely as we can to make the right choices for them.

freemantlegirl2 wrote:

Condor Man wrote:
I remember at 13 I'd be taken out and the weekend by my parents. We'd go to the cinema or out for a meal, I was never allowed to 'go out' unsupervised. The same happens in most of Europe and America. We live in a strange culture where kids don't properly mix with adults, if they did everyone would be much happier as we'd all know what eachother was doing.

That explains a lot! ;)

I lived in Spain for a few years and 13 year olds are allowed out on their own lol... much more than ours are in fact and believe me pregnancy and sex happens in Spain too. Spain and France aren't far behind the UK if you care to look.

As I keep saying, you can have the most darling and gorgeous of children but other things come into play like social networking, peer pressure, schooling, etc. Even private schools have a LOT of input around this subject so those of you who think they are immune are kidding themselves. I was watching the programme on BB3 about Sun, sex and suspicious parents and if you watched the peer pressure on there I think you would understand a bit more. Kids are pressured all sorts of ways now, through TV, internet, mobiles/texts etc that we weren't when we were young.

That said, I totally disagree that kids should be given the implant (or the pill in school) without the parents knowing. I don't object to them being given information all about contraception available just anythng that 'could' affect their health. If a young person really wants to go on the pill or they have an implant, they should go to their GP or a FP clinic where a full medical history and checks are taken. Other non-invasive methods then fine, kids need to be taught about contraception, whether they're having sex or not they need to be prepared as and when they do (over 16 or not). You won't ever stop kids who are under 16 having sex together, it's always happened it isn't just confined to the 21st century! What we can do is try to keep our kids 'safe' and guide them as closely as we can to make the right choices for them.

The trouble is that human beings are biologically programmed to want to start having sex at about the age of 13. As a consequence of this, some 13-year-olds will have sex. For those that don't have a relationship with their parents that allows them to talk through the consequences of this in a mature and rational way, it's far better that they should have a contraceptive implant than come home pregnant.

But, obviously, a hysterical knee-jerk reaction that equates this with forcing children to have sex is going to generate more of a response.

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

Who is encouraging young teenagers, please? I challenge you, Beth, to come and stand alongside me and try to STOP teenagers experimenting sexually. Don't fancy it? No, I thought not.

It is truly sad that we have a nation of people who condemn issues which they will not represent. You'll get your reward somewhere, I'm sure.

In addition to the issue of parents needing to know implants in school also raises a lot of medical problems: Harm to the person from lack of medical history assessment and proper medical knowledge by those doing it, the possibility of medicines being prescribed that may interact with it (including the risk of pregnancy- the pill doesn't work if you are on antibiotics for example), etc.

As parents in the modern world you are blamed if you don't keep proper control of your children including teenagers but yet you cannot expect to be given the information you need to help your child, etc- once they are a teenager you have to hope they tell you (even if they are the non-communicative type). Yet the first people that everyone blames when they do things we don't like is the parents even if they have no right to know what's going on. Assuming your child is doing everything a stereotypical teenager is doing isn't going to help you help your child either. They won't want to be seen simply as a stereotype and not as themselves.

Goldenwight wrote:

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

Who is encouraging young teenagers, please? I challenge you, Beth, to come and stand alongside me and try to STOP teenagers experimenting sexually. Don't fancy it? No, I thought not.

It is truly sad that we have a nation of people who condemn issues which they will not represent. You'll get your reward somewhere, I'm sure.

Teenagers are being encouraged to have sex by the very fact that there is nothing being done to discourage them. If the authorities are going to provide contraception rather than prosecute those who partake in underage sex, then that is giving the green light to carry on. Teenagers would stop experimenting if they knew that it WOULD lead to prosecution.

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

How is it encouraging teenagers to have underage sex? Which is the better approach? To pretend teenagers abstain until they're 16, and let these imaginary sexually-active teenagers propagate imaginary babies that nobody will have to deal with because they can't possibly exist anyway? Or realise that teen pregnancy is actually quite a large problem in this country and try to tackle it?

solomum wrote:

Goldenwight wrote:

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

Who is encouraging young teenagers, please? I challenge you, Beth, to come and stand alongside me and try to STOP teenagers experimenting sexually. Don't fancy it? No, I thought not.

It is truly sad that we have a nation of people who condemn issues which they will not represent. You'll get your reward somewhere, I'm sure.

Teenagers are being encouraged to have sex by the very fact that there is nothing being done to discourage them. If the authorities are going to provide contraception rather than prosecute those who partake in underage sex, then that is giving the green light to carry on. Teenagers would stop experimenting if they knew that it WOULD lead to prosecution.

Sorry but this is nonsense. It's actually impossible to know which teenagers are sexually active, in almost all cases. Mostly, it takes a pregnancy to get caught. I don't really see the value in giving all underage parents - who have already got quite a disadvantage in life - the added problem of police action. What do you think a 14 year old is going to do if she falls pregnant, knowing that if anybody finds out she's in legal trouble?

Think, for gods sake, people. Legislation is not the solution to every friggin' problem in the world.

Georgem wrote:

solomum wrote:

Goldenwight wrote:

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

Who is encouraging young teenagers, please? I challenge you, Beth, to come and stand alongside me and try to STOP teenagers experimenting sexually. Don't fancy it? No, I thought not.

It is truly sad that we have a nation of people who condemn issues which they will not represent. You'll get your reward somewhere, I'm sure.

Teenagers are being encouraged to have sex by the very fact that there is nothing being done to discourage them. If the authorities are going to provide contraception rather than prosecute those who partake in underage sex, then that is giving the green light to carry on. Teenagers would stop experimenting if they knew that it WOULD lead to prosecution.

Sorry but this is nonsense. It's actually impossible to know which teenagers are sexually active, in almost all cases. Mostly, it takes a pregnancy to get caught. I don't really see the value in giving all underage parents - who have already got quite a disadvantage in life - the added problem of police action. What do you think a 14 year old is going to do if she falls pregnant, knowing that if anybody finds out she's in legal trouble?

Think, for gods sake, people. Legislation is not the solution to every friggin' problem in the world.

It is not impossible to know. Most of them don't hide the fact that they are sexually active anyway. The fact is that it is illegal to be sexually active under 16, yet this is being over ridden by the very government that have this ruling. Also contraceptives are not a 100% guarantee that pregnancy will not occur and they provide no protection against sexual disease. Children should not be having sex, and anyone under the age of 16 is a child. Also I am sure that many of the youngsters who have sex underage, do so, not because they enjoy it, but because they are pressured by their older partner. At the age of 15, my 18 yr old boyfriend pressured me, but I walked away before I did something that I would have regretted for the rest of my life. The reason I walked away was that, as well as not wanting to have sex, I knew that I would have been in untold trouble if I had gone ahead and fallen pregnant. If I had access to contraceptives, there is a very real chance that I would have succumbed just to save face and keep my boyfriend. Thank goodness that I didn't have access to them, as that saved me from something I know I would have lived to regret. Then again, I was brought up with morals, something that is sadly lacking in today's society.

Fun fact: the "amoral" youth of today, were raised by the generation that most bemoans them

solomum wrote:

Georgem wrote:

solomum wrote:

Goldenwight wrote:

bravebeth wrote:
Encouraging young teenagers to have underage sex is a crime. Southampton is a lawless city but I did not think Southampton would sink so low as to encourage underage sex.

Who is encouraging young teenagers, please? I challenge you, Beth, to come and stand alongside me and try to STOP teenagers experimenting sexually. Don't fancy it? No, I thought not.

It is truly sad that we have a nation of people who condemn issues which they will not represent. You'll get your reward somewhere, I'm sure.

Teenagers are being encouraged to have sex by the very fact that there is nothing being done to discourage them. If the authorities are going to provide contraception rather than prosecute those who partake in underage sex, then that is giving the green light to carry on. Teenagers would stop experimenting if they knew that it WOULD lead to prosecution.

Sorry but this is nonsense. It's actually impossible to know which teenagers are sexually active, in almost all cases. Mostly, it takes a pregnancy to get caught. I don't really see the value in giving all underage parents - who have already got quite a disadvantage in life - the added problem of police action. What do you think a 14 year old is going to do if she falls pregnant, knowing that if anybody finds out she's in legal trouble?

Think, for gods sake, people. Legislation is not the solution to every friggin' problem in the world.

It is not impossible to know. Most of them don't hide the fact that they are sexually active anyway. The fact is that it is illegal to be sexually active under 16, yet this is being over ridden by the very government that have this ruling. Also contraceptives are not a 100% guarantee that pregnancy will not occur and they provide no protection against sexual disease. Children should not be having sex, and anyone under the age of 16 is a child. Also I am sure that many of the youngsters who have sex underage, do so, not because they enjoy it, but because they are pressured by their older partner. At the age of 15, my 18 yr old boyfriend pressured me, but I walked away before I did something that I would have regretted for the rest of my life. The reason I walked away was that, as well as not wanting to have sex, I knew that I would have been in untold trouble if I had gone ahead and fallen pregnant. If I had access to contraceptives, there is a very real chance that I would have succumbed just to save face and keep my boyfriend. Thank goodness that I didn't have access to them, as that saved me from something I know I would have lived to regret. Then again, I was brought up with morals, something that is sadly lacking in today's society.

spot on, the fear of my parents reaction to 'bringing home trouble' was the best contraception. There was no sex education when I was at school (made worse because it was an rc school)
In fact the only time anything vageuly related to the human body was mentioned, was a group of us being taken into the girls loos and being asked if we knew what the incinerater on the wall was used for, we all replied 'yes' and the teacher said 'good' and that was it, we were about 13 at the time, (1967). It was not until years later my mate told me that she had no idea what it was, but was too embarrassed to ask. No one in my class got pregnant before they left school. I am not saying this was a good thing, it was not, I think we all grew up very repressed, but things have gone too far the other way.
I made sure my children grew up with a much more balanced view, but I also gave them a feeling of self worth coupled with a knowledge that they would let themselves and their family down with irresponsible behaviour.
It must have worked.

I cant believe some of the dribble on here, how some people can say its ok for 13 year olds to be secretly fitted with this equipment is MORALLY WRONG!

Only a baboon may think otherwise!

As previously stated if a 13 year old is told you can have sex now because you wont get pregnant is soooooo DANGEROUS - yes she may not get pregnant but that doesn't stop a whole host of different aggressive viruses which she could contract and destroy her womb and make her infertile...

Taskforce 141 wrote:
I cant believe some of the dribble on here, how some people can say its ok for 13 year olds to be secretly fitted with this equipment is MORALLY WRONG!

Only a baboon may think otherwise!

As previously stated if a 13 year old is told you can have sex now because you wont get pregnant is soooooo DANGEROUS - yes she may not get pregnant but that doesn't stop a whole host of different aggressive viruses which she could contract and destroy her womb and make her infertile...

*headdesk* you people are simpletons. Carry on standing there with your fingers in your ears, going "la la la la teenagers don't have sex la la la" all you want, it's ok, we'll all pick up the bill for all the unplanned pregnancies that can't possibly happen

AspieMum wrote:
In addition to the issue of parents needing to know implants in school also raises a lot of medical problems: Harm to the person from lack of medical history assessment and proper medical knowledge by those doing it, the possibility of medicines being prescribed that may interact with it (including the risk of pregnancy- the pill doesn't work if you are on antibiotics for example), etc. As parents in the modern world you are blamed if you don't keep proper control of your children including teenagers but yet you cannot expect to be given the information you need to help your child, etc- once they are a teenager you have to hope they tell you (even if they are the non-communicative type). Yet the first people that everyone blames when they do things we don't like is the parents even if they have no right to know what's going on. Assuming your child is doing everything a stereotypical teenager is doing isn't going to help you help your child either. They won't want to be seen simply as a stereotype and not as themselves.

Mum, you are probably the only sensible person to post to this board.

Unfortunately, the issue is not about making parents aware. It is not about sexual health. It is not about making our country a better place.

It IS about reducing teenage pregnancies, and the attendant social unrest.