Introduction
The rate at which adolescents in both developed and developing countries quit school is on the rise, which can be witnessed around the globe. The primary factor that has contributed to this problem is childbearing among adolescents. This is not always the case; even though many parents continue to hold onto the idea that they will eventually be able to stop their children from engaging in sexual activity, the reality is that this is not always possible. There is no way to exert authority over an adolescent; no amount of close monitoring can ever show what adolescents are thinking or what they are capable of accomplishing. If adolescents have an intense need for anything, they will figure out how to get their hands on it. One can put them in a room and talk to them, but if they have a goal in mind, they will eventually find a way to accomplish what they desire.
It is possible that the least complicated solution would be to grant teenagers some form of birth control to use. Because some parents are uneasy with the idea that their children could use birth control, this technique is not always practicable. According to Holman & Koenig Kellas (2018), the primary factor contributing to this is the parents’ erroneous notion that their children would not engage in sexual activity if they were not given birth control for themselves and their partners. In light of the fact that birth control has a physiological effect on young people’s bodies, it is only fair that adolescents be given the option to choose whether or not to use it. Without a parent or other legal guardian’s consent, minors should be able to get birth control methods.
Case Overview
Birth control is used to prevent unwanted births, unintentional pregnancies, pregnancies that occur at an early or teenage age, and occasionally even accidental pregnancies that result from rape or assault. Humans have used birth control methods since the beginning of recorded history (Bertotti et al., 2021). However, the safest and most efficient techniques of preventing conception did not become generally accessible until the 20th century due to advancements in medicine and health care. According to OECD Education Working Papers, it is common for teenagers to participate in sexual activity in the 21st century due to technological advancement and influence from social media, which can result in unwanted and untimely births. This is a problem that has to be addressed. Because the pregnant teen may still be enrolled in school, the pregnancy may make it challenging for the teenager to accomplish the normal schoolwork expected of them.
Teenagers should avoid pregnancy because it can have several adverse effects on their lives. They may drop out of school to take care of the newborn baby, increasing the number of cases of malnutrition and the population because giving birth at a young age can influence a teenager’s decision to marry at a young age and have many more children. For the reasons above, society frowns upon the practice of enabling teenagers to carry children. Yang (2020) argues adolescents who engage in sexual activity at an extraordinarily high rate in the twenty-first century are advised to utilize birth control techniques.
- What is the significance of providing birth control to adolescents without a prescription?
- What are the repercussions of not administering birth control to adolescents?
- Is it vital to provide birth control on prescription to adolescents?
Answering these questions clarifies the issue of whether birth control should be accessible without a prescription to adolescents.
According to studies conducted by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, adolescents are capable of learning and mastering the art of preventing unintended pregnancies through the utilization of birth control techniques (Manzer & Bell, 2021). It is one of the reasons why a prescription is not required. In the vast majority of instances, adolescents are always hesitant to approach a health professional or a physician to get birth control prescriptions. Since sexual activity throughout adolescence is often regarded as deviant behavior that should be avoided, they would rather conceive and either carry the pregnancy to term or terminate it through abortion than be in the process of acquiring birth control by prescription. Birth control that is only accessible with a doctor’s prescription will lead to an increase in the number of pregnancies experienced by adolescents (Kościańska, 2018). In contrast, birth control that is only available without a prescription will decrease the number of pregnancies experienced by adolescents.
To help reduce the number of births among adolescents, which is something that every society strives to do, birth control and other methods of contraception should be available without a prescription. Birth control typically comes with a lower risk of adverse effects that may be comprehended more readily. There is no requirement for a user to have a prescription for birth control because pharmacists can deliver a few instructions to any user. The practice of birth control among adolescents has the goal of preventing and reducing the number of instances of early pregnancy that are encountered all over the world. By making birth control available to teens without needing a doctor’s prescription, one can help lower the number of teen pregnancies and, in turn, control the population. If birth control is made available to minors with instructions, there will be an increase in the number of cases of teen pregnancy (Elizabeth, 2022). As a result, the aim of reducing teenage pregnancies will not be achieved.
Arguments Against Contraceptives
When a person uses contraception, they significantly boost the likelihood of having more than one sexual partner at any given time. Contraception reduces the time that a person’s ovaries are available to fertilize since using birth control suppresses ovulation, which is the process that must occur before a woman may get pregnant. This, in turn, significantly heightens the danger they pose to their health and the health of others around them (Kościańska, 2018). As a direct consequence of this, the possibility that individuals within the community will get infected with sexually transmitted diseases and the risk that people will pass these infections on to one another will increase in society.
Contrary to the prevalent notion held by many people, most birth control methods, except condoms, do not offer any protection against illnesses that can be passed on via sexual interaction. Imagine a scenario in which young individuals are permitted access to birth control at such a tender age. If this is the case, they are more likely to participate in sexual activity, which puts them at risk of misjudging the value of sexual intimacy in their future marriages (Mbadu et al.,2018). It is essential to keep in mind that a person’s cultural or religious beliefs may lead them to feel uncomfortable using particular birth control methods. Both the Catholic Church and Islam are opposed to the use of birth control methods and have taken action to combat their use.
On the other hand, infertility may be a valuable weapon for controlling the number of people living in a particular area by preventing them from having children (Le Guen et al., 2021). As a consequence of this, parents must have an understanding of the means of contraception that are recommended for their children. It is essential to urge parents to have in-depth talks with their teenagers so that they may assist their children in making informed decisions regarding birth control even when the parents are not there physically.
The Consequences of Not Prescribing Birth Control to Adolescents
Typically, a prescription is issued by an expert authorized to offer directions for the specific therapy or health care being provided. Contraception is among the numerous subjects that medical experts in the health industry discuss. Incorrect usage of birth control techniques such as tablets and injectable contraceptives such as Implanon can potentially result in unpleasant side effects (Yang, 2020). In specific individuals, the detrimental effects may result in serious health issues, such as infertility. Teenagers must speak with medical specialists to obtain suggestions on the contraceptives they should take and instructions on how to employ these methods correctly.
Due to the potential for hormonal disruption caused by contraceptives, clearance from a physician is required prior to initiating therapy. Teenagers who use birth control without a doctor’s prescription face the danger of developing health problems if they fail to use it as directed. Professionals in the medical area encourage adolescents to obtain prescriptions before using any method of birth control to protect themselves from the potential health concerns associated with the improper use of contraceptives.
The Significance of Making Birth Control Available to Teens on Prescription
According to the Integrated General Guide on Self-Care Interventions for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights published by the World Health Organization (WHO), prescriptions play a very significant role in giving birth control, treatment, and mediation. Adolescents must have access to birth control by prescription for several reasons, including hormonal imbalances produced by the contraceptive (Bertotti et al., 2021). Prescription guarantees that birth control is done appropriately and thus does not have any adverse effects that may result from incorrect usage of the contraceptive. The contraception methods have basic instructions to be read and understood before use, but Some adolescents are always ignorant and may not read the instructions before using the birth control technique if it is made available without a prescription.
Conclusion
According to the findings that were shown earlier, the usage of contraceptives has impacts on young people that can have positive and negative implications. Even though there are arguments in favor of this practice, I am firmly against using contraceptives on minors because of the various hazards it brings to teenagers’ reproductive and mental health. I think it is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that their children are aware of the need to maintain sexual abstinence until they have reached the age at which it is socially acceptable for them to begin engaging in sexual activities.
References
Bertotti, A. M., Mann, E. S., & Miner, S. A. (2021). Efficacy as safety: Dominant cultural assumptions and the assessment of Contraceptive Risk.Social Science & Medicine, 270, 113547. Web.
Elizabeth, H. J. (2022). ‘If it hadn’t been for the doctor, I think I would have killed myself’: Ensuring adolescent knowledge and access to healthcare in the age of Gillick. In Posters, protests, and prescriptions (pp. 255-280). Manchester University Press.
Holman, A., & Koenig Kellas, J. (2018). “Say something instead of nothing”: Adolescents’ perceptions of memorable conversations about sex-related topics with their parents.Communication Monographs, 85(3), 357–379. Web.
Le Guen, M., Schantz, C., Régnier-Loilier, A., & de La Rochebrochard, E. (2021). Reasons for rejecting hormonal contraception in western countries: A systematic review.Social Science & Medicine, 284, 114247. Web.
Kościańska, A. (2018). Humanae Vitae, birth control and the forgotten history of the Catholic Church in Poland.The Schism of ’68, 187–208. Web.
Manzer, J. L., & Bell, A. V. (2021). “we’re a little biased”: Medicine and the management of bias through the case of contraception.Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 62(2), 120–135. Web.
OECD Education Working Papers. (n.d.). Web.
Yang, C. (2020). The inequity of conscientious objection: Refusal of emergency contraception.Nursing Ethics, 27(6), 1408–1417. Web.
Mbadu Muanda, F., Gahungu, N. P., Wood, F., & Bertrand, J. T. (2018). Attitudes toward sexual and reproductive health among adolescents and young people in urban and rural DR Congo. Reproductive health, 15(1), 1-14.