When I was 11, the closest I got to “loving” a boy was swooning over “Candy Girl” singers, New Edition. Needless to say, times have changed since then…or so one study leads us to believe.
Kids (girls specifically) are growing up more quickly and their bodies are maturing way before their brains. In one recent study, and as we discussed here, the average age at which puberty begins for girls is still on the decline, beginning around seven or eight. One of the biggest repercussions of hitting puberty this early is not only the physical toll it takes on our girls, but the social and emotional consequences they will go through as well.
When I saw a U.K. study that said there is a “huge rise” in the number of 11- and 12-year-old girls prescribed the birth control pill, I thought, oh no, now there are so many pre-teens having sex that their parents and doctors are putting them on the pill?!
But a deeper look at the study shows that it is based on figures from the General Practice Research Database (GPRD), which indicates that 1000 girls age 11-12 annually are prescribed hormonal contraceptives (usually the pill or injection).
This finding leaves open the possibility that the increasing number of girls who are taking contraceptives may be using them for medical reasons, including:
– Heavy periods (excessive bleeding, vomiting and diarrhea)
– Acne
– Irregular periods
– Amenorrhea (no periods due to extreme weight loss, anorexia, or side effects of radiation/chemotherapy)
Though being on the pill is not an indicator of a girl having underage sex, it’s too easy to assume that a large percentage of the pre-teens are using contraception to prevent pregnancy. Reproductive health is always a controversial topic, but when you throw in underage sex, you’ve got controversy.
It forces me to think about what I would do in the situation. What would I do if my daughter was a pre-teen and had extreme periods or a medical need for the pill? While I would I talk with her doctor about prescribing the pill at that age, I honestly don’t know what my final decision would be. Though the pill has been studied for years and is known as one of the safest medications around, is it just too much for an 11-year-old to take emotionally and socially?
As much as parents try to urge our kids to wait to have sex, there are also some parents out there who do not even broach the subject with their children. I know, it’s easy to sit at a computer and write about social ills. I also personally know parents who think they’ve done everything “right” and have a daughter who is an 18-year-old mom. As many tasks as we have on our plates, it’s important to take the time to discuss these issues–some recommend parents start talking to kids about their bodies at age five, giving basic information about safe sex and reproduction and sexual health.
What do you think? Is putting your daughter on birth control for medical or reproductive reasons a personal matter?
