For many parents, the discussion of contraception, pregnancy, disease, or other topics related to sex can be an uncomfortable one. Many parents end up simply turning a blind eye to the behaviors of their children, just to avoid talking about it. However, the first step to safe sex and the health of children must be taken in the home. Children and teenagers should be taught that there will be consequences to their actions of having unsafe sex, especially if it is with multiple partners. Planned Parenthood clinics and their website have many tools available for parents to aid them in having this difficult conversation. A free, step-by-step tutorial is available online for parents emphasizing the best way to start the discussion, what specific points are the most necessary to emphasize, and when is the best time for children to learn this information. For example, the tutorial explains ways to lead into the topic, such as watching a favorite television program where a character begins puberty, or pointing a friend or family member who is pregnant and discussing how it happens. The website also features books and magazine articles, written by child psychologists and sex experts, that can be used by parents to best explain these important matters in frank and serious ways.

Planned Parenthood clinics also have counselors available to parents to help them through the conversations with their children. Additionally, some clinics offer group classes which parents and children can attend together to have questions answered in a comfortable and non-threatening setting. Without this crucial knowledge, children and teenagers may not ever learn the potential implications of having unprotected sex. Even parents who try to simply teach abstinence only may be surprised to find that their children are still engaging in unprotected sex. All parents should emphasize that unwanted pregnancy and many diseases can result from sex, and should offer the tools necessary to prevent their children from being unsafe

Many teenagers have a lot of questions about sex, but don’t know who to turn to for honest and unbiased answers. If they don’t feel comfortable talking to their parents or other family members, or feel awkward discussing the matters with a health teacher or counselor, they may end up engaging in behaviors without understanding what may result. Planned Parenthood is a great resource for teenagers in this situation. They have information about hundreds of health topics available on the website, as well as counselors and staff members within the clinics who are trained in answering questions on any health-related topic. The website is a great place to turn first because it lists topics alphabetically in great detail, as well as commonly asked questions and answers. It is a very non-threatening way for teens to get more information, since it is completely private and doesn’t even require an account to access the resources. Most of the information presented is also done in a way that is easier for teens to understand and relate to, so they don’t feel like they are talking to a stuffy older person who doesn’t understand their situation.

For a more one-on-one experience, or for questions that are not answered on the Planned Parenthood website, teens can visit a clinic where someone on staff can discuss more personal matters privately and confidentially. Most clinics do not require parental consent, where state law allows, for counseling and contraception, so teens do not have to worry about bringing a parent or getting a lecture. While the clinic policy does encourage honesty between parents and teens, their confidentiality policy protects the information discussed and will not allow anything to be released without the consent of the patient. Planned Parenthood is a great resource for teens to get straightforward answers to difficult questions in a very comfortable and open-minded setting.

Routine maintenance is one of the best ways for women to stay healthy. Ensuring that women have yearly checkups with a physician who is well trained in women’s issues can help prevent disease as well as catch symptoms early. There are many different aspects of women’s health, including menopause, infertility, breast, ovarian, and cervical cancer screenings, menstruation, yearly pap screening tests, and vaginal problems. All of these issues are very important to women’s health, and should be maintained.

Women usually begin menopause between the age of 40 and 50, and it signifies the end of menstruation. Women first begin to notice gradual changes, such as changes in emotions and desires, mood swings, hot flashes and excessive sweating, and vaginal pain. It can be a difficult change for many since it can cause unwanted changes in the body. Infertility can affect women of any age, and can be a frustrating experience for those wanting to conceive. Planned Parenthood clinics offer testing and procedures to help couples with conception problems. Cancer screenings are crucial because they can help detect irregularities early, so cancer is able to be treated quickly and effectively. Women can also watch for signs and symptoms of these cancers with at-home checkups as well, such as checking for breast lumps frequently, or watching for irregular vaginal discharge. Problems with menstruation can be controlled, and Planned Parenthood clinics have services available to assist women who are having trouble with their monthly cycles. Additionally, a yearly pap smear can detect problems with the cervix, so maintaining a routine with this screening is also very important to women’s health. The cervix is an important part of the reproductive system, so watching for abnormalities is crucial to maintaining the ability to have children. All issues related to women’s health are important, and can be managed and treated effectively at Planned Parenthood clinics.

Planned Parenthood was started in Brooklyn, New York in 1916, when Margaret Sanger worked with several other women to start the first clinic in America that offered birth control. At that time, women could not receive birth control because they had virtually no rights; they couldn’t even have their own bank accounts or vote. There was also a series of laws passed in the late 1800s that stated that family planning was obscene. However, Sanger’s own mother had 11 children and died at 40 years old. She also worked as a nurse, so she worked directly with women who were suffering the health effects of being unable to use birth control. When the first clinic opened, women would line up outside, sometimes for hours just to obtain contraception. Sanger dealt with the legal backlash, including police raids, but continued with her pursuits to offer these necessary services to women.

In 1936, 18 years after the first clinic opened, Sanger was arrested for obtaining contraceptive products illegally. However, the judge on the case reviewed the data and ruled that the benefits of contraception were helping to avoid unwanted pregnancy as well as protect women’s health. A year later, the American Medical Association began to recognize contraception as a crucial part of health care, and women were then able to receive birth control without worry of legal repercussions. In the 1960s, with help from government funding, Planned Parenthood played a key role in the creation of intrauterine devices and the birth control pill, both of which are widely used for contraception by women. In fact, just four years after its creation, 25% of married women under age 45 had used the birth control pill to assist in family planning. Planned Parenthood was one of the first voices in women’s sexual and health rights, and continued to offer services to women that many physicians would not.

Planned Parenthood clinics offer testing services for an array of sexually transmitted diseases. While many do not want to face this growing problem, it simply must be realized that more and more individuals are engaging in unprotected sex and the diseases are spreading faster than ever. Some sexually transmitted diseases don’t even have symptoms, so some people will never know they have one and may pass the disease to partners unknowingly. Routine testing is necessary to diagnose and treat these diseases, so that spreading can be controlled. When a patient visits a Planned Parenthood clinic for any reason, a panel of tests can be administered to check for most of the sexually transmitted diseases. However, patients must ask for these tests; they will not be performed unless specifically requested. Anyone who engages in unprotected sex should be tested frequently, especially before having sex with a new partner. Based on the type of sexual acts, a physician or health care provider can help determine which diseases the patient would be at risk for, and which tests should be performed.
Once a test comes back positive, the staff at Planned Parenthood clinics can provide treatment and counseling, as well as discuss safer sex practices in order to avoid similar problems in the future. Many sexually transmitted diseases are completely treatable through antibiotics, and can be cleared up within just a few days or weeks. Routine testing can help people to catch the diseases early, before further damage is caused to their bodies. For example, untreated chlamydia can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women, which can in turn affect a woman’s ability to conceive a child. The clinics also offer an array of contraception designed at helping to prevent disease. However, some sexually transmitted diseases can be contracted even through safe sex practices, so individuals should be tested frequently even if using condoms.

Some people may think that the services offered at Planned Parenthood can only benefit women; however this is simply not true. Many clinics offer a full range of services for men’s health, including basic sexual health checkups for reproductive or other problems, as well as physical examinations. Routine checkups are one of the best ways to prevent disease, or catch symptoms early before conditions worsen and become dangerous or untreatable. Physicians within the clinic are trained in an array of problems and can give treatment to protect the overall health of men. The clinics also offer contraception and cancer screenings for testicular and prostate cancer. Many men do not think cancer can affect them, especially if they are young. However, both testicular and prostate cancer can strike men of any age, and routine screenings and self-examination are the only ways to catch warning signs early. Some Planned Parenthood clinics also give treatment for sexual problems including premature ejaculation, erectile dysfunction, and sexually transmitted diseases. Not only can the physicians provide treatment, but there are trained counselors on staff who can offer education and discuss the problems with men who might be embarrassed by their conditions. Since these counselors are trained in sexual problems, they are able to provide information and often can simply offer a listening ear. Many clinics also are able to provide permanent sterilization procedures, such as vasectomy, to men who are done having children and are interested in this option of contraception.

Many Planned Parenthood clinics can bill private health insurance plans, or state or federal programs. Additionally, some clinics are now able to offer discounted services based on income, or assist patients in applying for Medicaid or similar state-funded health insurance programs to those who will qualify. This allows all individuals, regardless of income or financial situation to receive quality sexual healthcare, as well as contraception to protect themselves and others from spreading sexually transmitted disease or causing unwanted pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood is well known for offering contraception and pregnancy options to women. However, they are less known for the other array of services provided in many of the clinics throughout the United States. The staff is trained in both men’s and women’s health care services, including infertility, menstruation problems, menopause, cancer screening and treatment, and other health problems. Patients can be tested for infertility and ovulation problems, and then can be treated for these common problems. There are counselors in the clinics who can help women who are newly diagnosed or have dealt with infertility for years, and help them to understand their options. Additionally, surgical procedures are available in some clinics to treat infertility and help women conceive. Many women suffer from problems during their menstrual cycles, and are not even aware that their symptoms are not normal. Physicians in Planned Parenthood clinics can help women to understand their cycles, what is normal and what is not, as well as treat common problems, such as unbearable pain, excessive bleeding, and irregularity.

All women will go through menopause at some point in their lives, and it can be a frightening and difficult experience. Having a counselor to discuss these feelings and emotions with, as well as obtain treatment for the symptoms associated with menopause can give women relief and help them to understand and even embrace the change that their bodies will undergo. Many clinics offer breast, cervical, testicular, and prostate cancer screenings and treatment. The best part is that many of these services are offered at a discounted rate to individuals who are not insured. Patients of any age or with any income can utilize the health care services offered at their neighborhood Planned Parenthood clinic, and begin to understand the necessary steps that must be taken in order to ensure sexual and reproductive health.

Individuals who are sexually active need to be informed about sexual health, potential complications, and how to avoid these risk factors. Planned Parenthood clinics offer extensive information on contraception and sexually transmitted diseases and infections. When an individual visits a clinic to learn more about the contraception available, a staff member will discuss health history and health and sexual habits to make sure that the contraception offered is the best possible option and will not cause further complications. For example, if a woman smokes, oral contraceptive pills would not be the best option for her since this combination greatly increases the chance of blood clotting. It is crucial to be completely honest in all the questions asked; the staff is not asking to make the patient feel uncomfortable, but simply to protect the patient’s health. After this portion is complete, the staff member will go over each type of birth control available. Currently Planned Parenthood clinics offer birth control pills, patches, implants, vaginal rings, shots, and male and female condoms. With so many options, individuals might feel overwhelmed.

Visiting a Planned Parenthood clinic will help ease the mind, as the staff will go over each type of birth control, how exactly it should be used to ensure full effectiveness, and which option might be best for each situation. Once all information has been given, it is up to the patient to decide which option they would like to begin using. Planned Parenthood offers contraception to those who are insured and those who are not, and often will offer discounted products so that everyone is able to obtain birth control at a reasonable price. This helps to control the number of unwanted pregnancies as well as helping to keep men and women safe from sexually transmitted disease, so birth control is a vital part of sexual health.