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Transitions
Volume 14, No. 4, June 2002
This Transitions is
also available in [PDF] format.
Emergency Contraception, an Important Option for Young Women Who Have
Sex with Women
By Tamarah Moss,
Program
Manager, Emergency Contraception Initiative, Advocates for Youth
Many young women who have sex with women (YWSW) also have sexual intercourse
with men. In a survey of lesbians, 77.3 percent reported sexual intercourse with
one or more males in their lifetime.27 Sexual intercourse with men
places YWSW at risk for unintended pregnancy. Indeed, one study showed that lesbian
and bisexual teens have twice the rate of pregnancy as their heterosexual and
questioning peers.28 Compared to their female peers, lesbian and bisexual
teens reported a higher incidence of sexual abuse, incest, and rape; heterosexual
relationships before they identified as lesbian; internalizing the stigma associated
with lesbian identity and using pregnancy to ensure being perceived as heterosexual;
and engaging in heterosexual activity as a means to deal with their fear of discrimination
and rejection.28
Therefore, health providers and educators should make special efforts to educate
YWSW about emergency contraception as an option to prevent teen pregnancy. Emergency
contraception (EC) is a method of preventing pregnancy after contraceptive
failure, sexual assault, and/or unprotected sexual intercourse. Emergency contraceptive
pills (ECPs) can be used any time up to 120 hours (five days) after
sexual intercourse.
As such, ECP is an option that could annually avert as many as 50 percent of
pregnancies and consequent abortions among American teens.29 ECPs
are available as Plan B®, and/or as repackaged birth control pills that
are taken in a particular dosage and manner. ECPs do not cause abortion because
the pills have no effect after pregnancy is established. (The American College
of Obstetricians and Gynecologists defines pregnancy as beginning with
implantation.30) For more information on ECPs, click
here.
Lesbian and bisexual teens, like their heterosexual peers, face barriers to obtaining
ECPs. Barriers include providers' lack of knowledge about ECPs, cost, time constraints,
lack of insurance and transportation problems, and limited clinic hours. Teens
often fear that their confidence will be violated. They also often fear procedures
such as blood tests, pelvic exams, and the reputed side effects of ECPs. However,
lesbian and bisexual teens face additional challenges from providers, including
homophobia, heterosexual assumptions, and lack of understanding of lesbian health
care issues.
Youth-serving professionals can help overcome barriers and ensure lesbian and
bisexual young women's access to health care. Access means timely use of personal
health services to achieve the optimal health outcomes. Health care providers
and educators need to ensure that lesbian and bisexual teens receive respect
and comprehensive information:
- Inform
young women who have sex with women of the risks associated
with unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sexual intercourse.
- Develop
and distribute ECP educational materials that address
the needs of all teenage women, including lesbian and
bisexual teens.
- Develop
formal referral systems among health providers, educators,
and GLBTQ youth serving organizations.
- Provide
ECPs in clinical and non-clinical settings.
- Ensure
that teens are able to get hold of ECP within the 72-hour
time period. Better yet, provide ECPs or prescriptions
for ECP in advance of need and without pelvic
exams.
- Create
both teen-friendly and GLBTQ-friendly office policies
and/or procedures.
- Provide
training to staff on the needs of lesbian and bisexual
teens.
Click
here to view the endnotes.
Transitions (ISSN 1097-1254) © 2002, is a quarterly publication of Advocates for Youth—Helping young people make safe and responsible decisions about sex. For permission to reprint, contact Transitions' editor at 202.419.3420.
Editor: Sue Alford
Click here to view the Publications Catalog and/or
to order this publication.
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