Being a parent of any teenager can be a tough job.  Being a parent of a teenage girl in today’s society can be completely nerve-racking.  Even when you teach your children strong values and morals, you still can’t be 100% sure of what they do when they walk out your door.  It can be hard to decide if you should allow your teenage daughter to begin using birth control, even if you know that there is a medical reason for that birth control.  So, how do you decide what to do?  Here are some tips:

1.  Be honest with your daughter.  Talk to her about the benefits that some hormonal methods of birth control might offer her during her menstrual cycle.  Also talk to her about any side effects that might occur from that birth control.  Take some time to research the information on the internet together.  Make an appointment to visit with the doctor so he or she can answer any additional questions (or correct misconceptions) you might have.

2.  Look for honesty from your daughter.  Although hormonal birth control can prevent pregnancy, if your daughter is sexually active (or considering the option) then it is not the only answer.  Find out what your daughter is doing so that you can help her understand the consequences of her decisions and also so you can help her best protect herself if she decides to continue down that path.

3.  Play the “what if” game.  This is going to be much easier if you have already established a relationship with your daughter prior to this point.  Ask her things like, “What if you did get pregnant?” or “what if he was infected?” or "what if others find out?”  The answers to these questions may help her make her decisions and they may also help to guide the choice of birth control.

4.  Be honest with yourself.  Unless you keep your daughter locked up for the rest of her life, she is going to make her own decisions.  All you can do is support and inform her about where those decisions are likely to take her in life.  If you believe that she is sexually active then do whatever is necessary to protect her from possible life-altering (and even deadly) mistakes.

5.  Share the statistics.  Help your daughter to understand the dangers that sexual activity can bring in the form of STDs.  Show her the statistics for birth control options (particularly any you can find based on incorrect usage).  Help her to see that the only safe and 100% effective form of birth control is abstinence.

There are valid reasons to have your teenage daughter begin taking birth control.  Even if the reasons are medical, be sure to discuss all the complications and difficulties that may lie ahead in your child’s sexual life.