Birth control, abortion and unwanted pregnancies.

[GMDino]

Obviously there has been some discussion about these subject on these boards.

I saw this image today and wondered how people would feel about it.



Unfortunately the elected officials don't want to fund a program with proven results:

http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/09/03/437268213/colorados-long-lasting-birth-control-program-for-teens-may-not-last-long

Quote:When President Obama spoke to the Democratic National Convention in Colorado seven years ago, he tried to call a truce in one of the nation's long-running social debates.


"We may not agree on abortion. But surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country," he said to applause.

Not long after that, Colorado launched an experiment aimed at doing just that. The results have been dramatic — but efforts to expand the program using taxpayer money have hit a political roadblock.

Six years ago Children's Hospital Colorado, outside Denver, and dozens of clinics around the state began focusing on long-acting forms of contraception, such as IUDs and hormonal implants.

Research shows they're much more reliable at preventing pregnancy than the pill or condoms. Liz Romer, who runs the clinic at Children's, where teenagers and young women can get free and confidential birth control, said that's in part because they're less subject to human error.

"It gives them something that is a very effective method that doesn't require a daily decision not to get pregnant and gives them the freedom then to think about other things," she said.

Despite the effectiveness of the long-acting methods, less than 5 percent of teenagers on birth control nationwide use them. Implants and IUDs require a health care provider to put them in place. And the up-front cost can be high: hundreds of dollars apiece. At the Children's Hospital clinic, supplies are kept behind a locked door.

Romer unlocks the door and points out her clinic's "device shelf."

"We've got to be able to come in, grab this, and be able to deliver to a patient at that moment," she said.

Romer said having the devices on hand is crucial, so young women don't have to make a second visit. But that costs money. And so does training the health care providers.
i
Larry Wolk, who directs Colorado's public health department, wore an IUD as a lapel pin during this year's legislative debate. He said people would remark on how small and lightweight it was. "It's not you're mother's IUD, for sure," he said, chuckling.
David Zalubowski/AP

Colorado's experiment was funded with a $23 million grant from the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, named for the late wife of billionaire Warren Buffett. And the results are striking: By 2013, teen births in Colorado had dropped 40 percent — compared with a 30 percent decline nationwide. The steep drop continued last year. Abortions among teenagers in Colorado were also down. Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper said the savings in Medicaid and government assistance far outweigh the up-front costs.

"What greater gift can you give to a teenaged potential mother than the opportunity to plan her family so when she has children, it's when they're wanted, when she can afford to care for them ... and to do it in such a cost-effective way in terms of government spending? It dramatically reduces government spending," he said.

When seed money from the Buffett foundation ran out this summer, Hickenlooper asked for state funding to continue the program. But Republican state lawmakers like Rep. Kathleen Conti said no. Conti complains that the long-acting birth control is too expensive and sends the wrong message to teenagers who should instead be taught to refrain from sex.

Quote:I don't think the doctors encouraged the kids: 'Now that you've got this, feel free to have sex with everybody.' But I think it, by default, takes away one more intimidating problem.
Colorado state Rep. Kathleen Conti

"Don't get me wrong. I don't think the doctors encouraged the kids: 'Now that you've got this, feel free to have sex with everybody.' But I think it, by default, takes away one more intimidating problem."

Conti also worries about an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, though there's been no evidence of that in Colorado. Other critics complain that the program doesn't require enough parental involvement.

"There's a history of politics as it relates to anything family planning-related," said pediatrician Larry Wolk, who directs the public health department in Colorado . The fight for state funding is not over, he added. Wolk wore an IUD as a lapel pin during this year's legislative debate.

"I was just amazed at how many people said, 'What is that?' I'd say, 'It's an IUD.' And they're like, really? It's so small, it's so lightweight. ... It's like the Buick commercials that are out there. It's not your mother's IUD, for sure," he said, chuckling.

For now, Colorado is relying on a patchwork of private grants to continue its family planning initiative. At the Children's Hospital clinic, Romer said it's gratifying to see young women who got their first long-acting birth control three years ago and are now coming back for more.

"Just to watch their eyes beam and say, 'I graduated. And I'm one of the only people in my circle of friends who doesn't have a child. And now I'm managing this,' or, 'I'm in this job.'
And to see that they're still dreaming big," she said.

Romer said she can't imagine turning those young women away for lack of funding. "The numbers speak so clearly," she said. "It's time to listen."

Thoughts?  Should a program that helps prevent pregnancies, and thereby abortions, be encouraged and funded by the government?  Especially when it SAVES money in the long run?

It is voluntary.
It has proven results.

Or does the argument that "I don't want my tax money going toward something against my religion" override the public good?

[Westwood Bengal]

No, I think we should stick with abstinence education, as it is clearly working.






This has always been one of my hangups with the pro-lifers. If they are really interested in decreasing abortions, then they would be all for using methods that do exactly that. But what it is really about, is pushing the underlying ideology that tells them they are right in this argument.

[*wildcats forever*]

This is something I'd support at the drop of a hat. These statistics are remarkable enough to expand this program nationally, though such progressive policies might struggle for inclusion on an already crowded platform. It definitely needs a national champion respected well enough to become a reality.

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

(08-13-2016, 05:11 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: This is something I'd support at the drop of a hat. These statistics are remarkable enough to expand this program nationally, though such progressive policies might struggle for inclusion on an already crowded platform. It definitely needs a national champion respected well enough to become a reality.

Gotta say I agree.  I don't think anybody likes the Idea of abortion.  However, there are some very effective ways to prevent pregnancy other than just teaching abstenance.   I read in a book titled Girls and Sex  (and no it wasn't porn and was actually a scientific/journalistic study) that the average teenager loses their virginity at 17yo.  I was 17yo when I lost mine and I think some of us that are older forget what we were like as teenagers.   My son just turned 16yo and believe me we've had this talk years ago (much to his discomfort...lol) and still have it. At any rate I think far too many are just uncomfortable talking to their kids about sex.

[GMDino]

(08-14-2016, 03:05 AM)RICHMONDBENGAL_07 Wrote: Gotta say I agree.  I don't think anybody likes the Idea of abortion.  However, there are some very effective ways to prevent pregnancy other than just teaching abstenance.   I read in a book titled Girls and Sex  (and no it wasn't porn and was actually a scientific/journalistic study) that the average teenager loses their virginity at 17yo.  I was 17yo when I lost mine and I think some of us that are older forget what we were like as teenagers.   My son just turned 16yo and believe me we've had this talk years ago (much to his discomfort...lol) and still have it. At any rate I think far too many are just uncomfortable talking to their kids about sex.

I honestly started telling my two kids about waiting until marriage when they were pre-teens.  Started with my daughter the day she told me and my wife she learned there was no (spoilers) Santa Clause in 3rd grade...she was in 7th by the time she told us.  She mentioned that in 3rd grade "you heard about everything"...upon questioning she said that included sex.  

She went to Catholic school at the time!  

But yeah, they heard early and often about the consequences of sex.

She is 18 and has been dating her bf for almost 4 years we are 99% sure they haven't done anything yet.  And she gets upset with the students who are getting pregnant while still in school.  They are both graduated, she is working in her field and he is in the National Guard Reserves (basic training right now).  What they do going forward is out of my hands but we did what we could to prepare them and in the end they made the right decision.

[Benton]

I was lucky. My first relationship was 12, she was 13 or 14. The lucky part was I had an older brother who was dating a girl smart enough to drive me to the health department and make me ask for condoms. Life could have been a Lot different. The bad part is at the time, Kentucky had the the highest or second highest unwed teenage pregnancy rate in the country. Mainly from the abstinence only education. Even in high school the health classes avoided the subject. That only changed in my district about 5 years ago when a teacher at the high school (who had a child when she was 15) went around the school board and started a media campaign to change lesson plans and start high schoolers talking about things.

 

[GMDino]

(08-14-2016, 10:43 AM)Benton Wrote: I was lucky. My first relationship was 12, she was 13 or 14. The lucky part was I had an older brother who was dating a girl smart enough to drive me to the health department and make me ask for condoms. Life could have been a Lot different. The bad part is at the time, Kentucky had the the highest or second highest unwed teenage pregnancy rate in the country. Mainly from the abstinence only education. Even in high school the health classes avoided the subject. That only changed about 5 years ago when a teacher at the school (who had a child when she was 15) went around the school board and started a media campaign to change lesson plans and start high schoolers talking about things.

 

I was the odd ball boy in out class who "liked girls" early.  While the others were still talking about cooties I was trying to figure out how to hold their hand.

But 12!!!

Wow!

Unless you didn't have sex at 12 but just started the relationship I just completely misread that! LOL!

[Benton]

(08-14-2016, 10:53 AM)GMDino Wrote:

I was the odd ball boy in out class who "liked girls" early.  While the others were still talking about cooties I was trying to figure out how to hold their hand.

But 12!!!

Wow!

Unless you didn't have sex at 12 but just started the relationship I just completely misread that!  LOL!

nay, you read that right. Early bloomer, plus I was a latch key kid in an area where people just don't talk about anything uncomfortable.

[Rotobeast]

[Sociopathicsteelerfan]

I've said it before. Being against abortion and birth control is like being against arson and firemen.

[xxlt]

(08-13-2016, 05:11 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: This is something I'd support at the drop of a hat. These statistics are remarkable enough to expand this program nationally, though such progressive policies might struggle for inclusion on an already crowded platform. It definitely needs a national champion respected well enough to become a reality.

This ^.

[Millhouse]

I know when my gf in high school went on the pill, that was the best 2 years of my life up until we broke up and went off to college. Oh man, there was this one time we, wait what is this about again.

Oh yeah, it would definitely be a good thing to implement nationwide. But they also should be equally if not more vocal about making sure that dudes strap up even if on the pill. Those numbers are probably right and are believable for sure, but do they have any numbers on the rise of std's, which cant be prevented by the pill sad to say.

[Belsnickel]

I say it all the time. Pro-choice but want to work to reduce abortions by making contraceptives more easily accessible, making sex education better, making reproductive health care more affordable, and working to remove financial barriers to motherhood(this doesn't just mean paying for the kid, but things like paid maternity leave can be a great benefit).

[GMDino]

(08-14-2016, 05:46 PM)Millhouse Wrote: I know when my gf in high school went on the pill, that was the best 2 years of my life up until we broke up and went off to college. Oh man, there was this one time we, wait what is this about again.

Oh yeah, it would definitely be a good thing to implement nationwide. But they also should be equally if not more vocal about making sure that dudes strap up even if on the pill. Those numbers are probably right and are believable for sure, but do they have any numbers on the rise of std's, which cant be prevented by the pill sad to say.

I think it's in the OP but may have been another source I read and didn't post, but the number of STD's went down too despite the officials opposed to the program saying they were afraid they would go up.

[*Nately120*]

The school I went to had one of the local conservative nutbag doctors show us a slideshow of STDs before anything else. Basically, the first vajayjay I saw was the size of a projection screen and had some STD that made it resemble the sarlaac pit from Star Wars.

I actually stopped him and raised my hand and said "Who would actually have sex with that?" and he said something about having a few beers in you and ehhhhhh you know! I disagreed, but I ain't no doctor. I was just a stupid stupid kid. A stupid kid who probably would have knocked up every girl I seen had I not been misled about vagina lethality.

By the time I found out ladyparts weren't portals to Lovecraftian horror realms I was responsible enough to realize I can't afford to have kids.

[Benton]

(08-15-2016, 03:01 AM)Nately120 Wrote: The school I went to had one of the local conservative nutbag doctors show us a slideshow of STDs before anything else.  Basically, the first vajayjay I saw was the size of a projection screen and had some STD that made it resemble the sarlaac pit from Star Wars.
 

Who hasn't gone to bed with a slave Leia and woken up with a sarlaac pit?

[*bfine32*]

I agree with the notion that education and ease of access to birth control devices is being proactive, were as abortions are reactive. WTS, do we give kids access to these without parental consent?

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(08-15-2016, 11:07 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I agree with the notion that education and ease of access to birth control devices is being proactive, were as abortions are reactive. WTS, do we give kids access to these without parental consent?

Do kids get their parent's permission before having an unwanted pregnancy?

Maybe they could use prayer as a prophylactic against pregnancy?

[Belsnickel]

(08-15-2016, 11:07 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I agree with the notion that education and ease of access to birth control devices is being proactive, were as abortions are reactive. WTS, do we give kids access to these without parental consent?

This is kind of related, but not really. Just some interesting commentary on our attitudes towards this sort of thing. Condoms are one of the most commonly stolen items from stores like Walmart. This happens because people are too embarrassed to take them through a check out line. We stigmatize this stuff so much in society that this is how it goes. This can deter teenagers from getting condoms as easily, even though there really are no restrictions on purchasing them (though some think there is for some reason).

The funny side of this is that because they are so frequently stolen, they will sometimes have the magnetic tag in the box and so the guy who was too embarrassed to go through the line with them will now have everyone at the front end looking his way because he set off the alarms. Also, something to keep in mind if you do buy condoms at a department store, make sure they swipe the box over their demagnetizer. There may not be a tag in that box, but better safe than sorry.

[Benton]

(08-15-2016, 11:07 AM)bfine32 Wrote: I agree with the notion that education and ease of access to birth control devices is being proactive, were as abortions are reactive. WTS, do we give kids access to these without parental consent?

Yes. Parents aren't consenting to premarital sex.

(08-15-2016, 11:33 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: This is kind of related, but not really. Just some interesting commentary on our attitudes towards this sort of thing. Condoms are one of the most commonly stolen items from stores like Walmart. This happens because people are too embarrassed to take them through a check out line. We stigmatize this stuff so much in society that this is how it goes. This can deter teenagers from getting condoms as easily, even though there really are no restrictions on purchasing them (though some think there is for some reason).

The funny side of this is that because they are so frequently stolen, they will sometimes have the magnetic tag in the box and so the guy who was too embarrassed to go through the line with them will now have everyone at the front end looking his way because he set off the alarms. Also, something to keep in mind if you do buy condoms at a department store, make sure they swipe the box over their demagnetizer. There may not be a tag in that box, but better safe than sorry.

Or, just get married. Then you never have to worry about having sex again.