Over the counter contraceptive pill for girls of 13.

Just a thought looking at my GD she is of dual heritage white/black African,although her father was born in the Uk her grandparents come from Sierra Leone,if she where to be brought up in that culture in that country she would be of an age of where having a baby and being married where the norm.
Her body is physically mature,she is bigger than me (she is 13 btw),but she has been brought up by white cultures and British laws which are allowing her to be a child,she is not emotionally ready,dosent have much interest in the opposite sex at the moment,her thoughts are quite mature at times because her innocence was lost when my daughter died and the circumstances surrounding that she is vulnerable it is my place to protect her and help her make the right decisions,I wonder if the 13 year olds are from homes where mum was a young mum,and they are busy catching up with their missed teens to advise their children and are too matey and being one of the gang to provide clear boundaries ie going clubbing together etc.My own daughter was pregnant at 18,she was epilept

late for work but you are right bags. we'd be physically better having babies in our mid to late teens than thirties too.

We humans are unusual in trying to prevent sexually mature members of the species from doing what comes naturally. The way we run our modern societies tends to mean it is not ideal for teenage people to start producing kids. With this in mind we need ways to prevent the pregnancies because the sexual activity will happen. It always has and it always will once the young human animals are capable of it and feel the urge. It is not the sexual behaviour that is unusual or essentially 'wrong' — we just haven't worked out how to deal with the consequences when we'd rather our young took longer than they do to reach sexual maturity.

The pilot scheme in Southwark and Lambeth sounds like a good idea to me.

i am unusual, petallus

I just read a bit more about this report. There has been a pilot scheme running since 2008 in Southwark, Lambeth and South London, where women over 16 have been able to get the contraceptive pill over the counter without prescription. The target group is black British, Caribbean and African women and unwanted pregnancy rates have been significantly reduced. Now there is consideration to including girls from 13 to 16.

The idea that girls/women are dishonoured by sex outside married was the norm when I was a teenager. Bit unusual to come across that view today though!

Slightly off thread ...doing family research ...I was told that looking at marriage certificates during Victorian times was not an accurate way of judging the couples age when they married.

"Of age" could mean the groom was 14yrs old or the bride 12yrs old ...if they had their parents consent ...not over 21yrs which is what was a given for the first part of the 20th century.

Different times ...so sexual activity in early teens could have then been the norm??

butternut - well, there you are. different strokes...
notsogrand - yes, the girls and the boys! and, come to that, the families who don't keep them under strict supervision!

its a counsel of perfection. ideally, get married, then do marriage things. otherwise, start late and get some protection, for the good of your health !

When you say 'they' granbunny, do you mean the girls and the boys are dishonoured by early sexual activity?

I can't believe I've just read that last post.

and i haven't mentioned 'honour'. they are dishonoured by early sexual activity. they should wait until they're married!

i am concerned.

children who need contraception can get it through the school nurse - though in the holidays they might need somewhere else to go.

my worry is that by making the pill available to 13 years olds, we will encourage all children of that age to believe that it is 'normal' to be sexually active.

and older people might think it is ok to have sex with children, if children are 'expected' to have sex anyway.

but, pregnancy and abortion are not good at 13 either.

perhaps we should work on providing better role models for young people, and 'desexualising' society (trying not to put sex everywhere as if there was nothing else in life). and giving young people time to be children. they'll be adults for long enough.

baba! nice name. it's what my daughter called my breasts and breastfeeding. 'having a baba', from 'mr baba and mrs baba'. mrs baba was the left breast. daughter breastfed until four, so we had plenty of time to talk about it. i think i might have mentioned that before. i'm old and forgetful.

That is the worrying thing Anagram the boundaries are becoming blurred,and a one size dosent fit all any more,I suppose each case is treated individually.

So really, in effect, the 'age of consent' means nothing much any more, does it?

It isn't treated as illegal unless someone makes a complaint and an assessment is made. Two teenagers experimenting will not be prosecuted, but one teenager forcing another, or ignoring inability to consent, is looking at being charged. Of course, a man having sex with a 13 year old can be charged with a sexual offence. When there is an age difference like 17 and 14, that is assesssed first - it might not lead to charges where there is no complaint and it has been 'consensual' in the context of the pair being in a boy/girlfriend situation.

Yes, you're right, nellie - there was a case recently involving a woman teacher and her underage female pupil.

I believe a woman/girl is guilty of the crime if she has sex with a person younger even though it is consential sex,the same as if the boy where older,the father in that case was negletful especially if he knew what was going on.Actually just had a thought although not entirely relevant that would apply surely with same sex relationships .

Now there's an interesting and very valid point, baba. It will be fascinating to see how the powers that be deal with that!

I think I may write to "The Times"!

Seriously, it is child abuse. I do remember earlier in my career, a situation where the 14 year old girl had moved into the 13 year old boy's house, where he lived with his separated father...took a long time to sort out, with Social Services etc etc.

But my point is, that if BOTH are under age, where does the law stand? I suppose it comes down to neglect?

I'm well aware of the need to prevent unwanted pregnancies and attendant problems but when oh when is someone going to mention the word "illegal" ?
We all know youngsters will have sex but years ago (and not so many at that) and pre-pill, the fear of getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant was a deterrant from having sex, not to mention the attendant shame.
Surely those who provide the pill for under age girls are colluding in the commission of a crime and adding to the pressures put on girls to be available 24/7.
The sooner we see prosecutions, and real punishments for violating a child, even with that child's apparent consent, the sooner we may see a decrease in pregnancies and proof that "the law is not an ass".

Like Anagram I am concerned over groups of young girls full of bravado not understanding you have to take them each day around same time,sharing them and thinking they have had one today they are safe,going into pharmacies with fake ID or like in an off licence a this an older friend or sibling will go iin for you and get them.Children of this age are prohibited from smoking,and drinking because of the potentential dangers,but it suggested that potentially strong hormones are put in to the body.I truly believe that advisory centres in school alongside sex education is the way forward.
My daughter went on the pill at 15 to reduce her heavy periods,under my supervision,but 2 years is a huge step in maturity,I feel very uneasy.
will the pharmacies providing this service also benefit financially from doing so,I have worked in many pharmacies from Boots to many private,and in the private chemist where money is tight and they are struggling,will they be tempted to make their own rules,as in my experience has happened with POM medicines ...Nellie is worried

At 17 I was terrified to tell my mum I was pregnant. I could not have gone on the pill as would have had to go to family doctor who would have told my mum who was a family friend. I wish there had been somewhere I could go for advise who was unconnected to parents/school and things may have been very different. My mum was of the opinion that if she didn't talk about it then it didn't happen and she was the only mother who sent a note to school forbidding me to take part in the sex education lesson. I am not going back to the dark ages here either... only the late 70's

I do hope there would be some kind of checks done on these young girls, the pill can be quite unsuitable for some people. When I was working I personally knew two 18 year olds who died as a direct result of taking the pill.

Well, that sheds a different light on it, nuttynorah, and it sounds like an extremely sensible and practical scheme. As usual, the press have gone for the 'shock, horror' aspect!

As a retired pharmacist, I was curious to read about this scheme as I couldn't imagine the Pharmaceutical Society allowing its members to dole out oral contraception without proper medical checks!
The pilot studies were carried out in areas which have exceptionally high rates of teenage pregnancy, despite the availability of a full range of family planning services. The scheme mainly targeted girls who came to the nominated pharmacies to get the "morning after" pill i.e. they were already sexually active and not using contraception. They were offered an appointment to arrange regular contraception and saw either a specialist nurse or a pharmacist who had been specially trained to carry out the same checks a GP would do.
I think the impression given by the press, that 13-year-old girls will just be able to walk into Boots and buy the pill, is an oversimplification. I am sure that they will still get advice about STDs and other sexual health matters. At the moment, most of the pharmacies only offered the scheme to over 16's and the debate is whether to extend it to under 16's.

I can just see groups of giggling schoolgirls queueing up at the Chemist counter...peer pressure and bravado would certainly boost the takeup rate, but as has been said, would they remember to take the pill every day? Or would they take if for a while and then if they haven't got a boyfriend anyway, forget about it?
And how would the pharmacist be able to check whether the girl is actually 13, never mind whether the pill is suitable for her or not?

It's the health issue that troubles me - safe sex, for example. And the possible consequences, in later life, of taking the pill worry me, but have done ever since the scare over breast cancer and HRT (too late for me!) I refer to the incidence of oestrogen positive cancers. There must be professional advice available.

It is so early; but I do accept that teenage pregnancy and / or abortion should be avoided.

And, as ever, the onus is on the females!!