Birth Control

There’s no age limit for purchasing condoms—anyone can buy them! For more information on buying condoms, check out this article, which clears up a lot of confusion for a first time buyer.

The short answer is yes, teens can get birth control without telling their parents whether or not they’re looking for a method that requires a visit to a clinic.

The longer answer is that certain methods take more time to get than others.

One of the easiest methods of birth control to get your hands on are condoms, because there are no age restrictions and they’re available at drug stores and even some grocery stores. If you’re looking for a method of birth control that includes hormonal birth control methods (the pill, patch, ring, shot [Depo Provera], implant, and IUD [Skyla, Mirena, and ParaGard], those require a visit to a doctor’s office/clinic. Minors (anyone under 18 years old) usually can get them without parents’ permission or knowledge, but each state makes its own laws about this. So when calling to make an appointment, tell your age, ask if you need parental consent for your visit and the method you want, and ask whether the clinic guarantees confidentiality.

Need to find a clinic? Use our clinic locator; just type in your zip code for all the info you’ll need to find a health center nearby.

Male condoms are 82% effective, but anytime semen is near the vagina, there’s a possibility that it could get inside and cause a pregnancy. For more information on condoms and other forms of birth control, including their effectiveness, check out our Birth Control Explorer and explore all of your options.

Yes, it is completely safe for a 15 year old to get an implant! Like all types of birth control, the implant has different risks and side effects, so head over to our Birth Control Explorer for more information about the implant and other forms of birth control.

Because the implant is a hormonal contraceptive AND needs to be inserted, you’ll have to visit your medical provider to get one (but you’ll only need to go once to have it inserted and once to have it removed). Need to find a clinic? Use our clinic locator; just type in your zip code for all the info you’ll need to find a health center nearby.

Some methods of birth control are only available by prescription—you have to see a doctor to get them. They include the most effective methods available (the IUD, the implant), anything else that is hormone-based (the pill, the patch, the ring, the shot), and the diaphragm (you have to be fitted for one which requires a doc). Some of the other methods—condoms (male and female) and the sponge—are available over the counter in most drugstores and grocery stores and don’t require anything more than money to buy them (no doctor visit!). Minors (anyone under 18 years old) usually can get birth control without parents’ permission or knowledge, but each state makes its own laws about this. So when calling your doctor or clinic to make an appointment, tell your age and ask whether they guarantee confidentiality. Learn more about all the methods of birth control with our Birth Control Explorer. Need to find a clinic? Use our clinic locator; just type in your zip code for all the info you’ll need to find a health center nearby.

It sounds like you and your partner are being very careful! However, whenever semen is near the vagina, there’s a possibility that it could get inside and cause a pregnancy. Using multiple methods of birth control does lower the chance of pregnancy, and for more information about the different types of birth control available to you and your partner, check out our Birth Control Explorer. Basically, with typical use, the pill is 91% effective, male condoms are about 82% effective, and pulling out is about 78% effective…but keep in mind: those rates are for typical use and oftentimes, teens don’t use their birth control as well as adults, so these rates may actually be worse.

Minors (anyone under 18 years old) can usually get birth control without parents’ permission or knowledge, but each state makes its own laws about this. So when calling your doctor or a clinic to make an appointment, tell your age and ask whether they guarantee confidentiality. Some clinics may be able to tell you more about the laws in prescription confidentiality in your state, or about purchasing it out of pocket.

Discuss with your doctor why you want to go on birth control, and why you’re nervous about your parents knowing. It’s a very common question, and they might be able to help you figure out the best way to bring it up.

You may also want to consider purchasing condoms, which have no age requirement and are available at most drugs stores, and are even free at many clinics. The most important thing is to stay safe if you’re engaging in sexual intercourse. Of course it’s hard to talk to your parents about birth control, but imagine how much harder it would be if you had to tell them about a pregnancy.

Using certain types of birth control (like the pill) can help regulate your period in addition to providing birth control. Learn more about all the methods of birth control with our Birth Control Explorer, and have a conversation with your doctor to see which method will work best for you!

Emergency contraception like Plan B isn’t meant to be used as your primary form of birth control—hence the name emergency contraception. It’s expensive and not intended for long term use, so while it’s great to have it on hand in case of an “oops” moment it’s a better idea to figure out a more permanent method of birth control for the rest of the time. There are tons of great methods available—some hormonal and some not, some long-acting and some not—so check out our Birth Control Explorer to explore your options.

It’s great that you’re so thoughtful about becoming sexually active. And that you’re so interested in keeping the lines of communication with your parents open. When you’re ready, you can approach it in a few ways. You may be more comfortable talking with one parent than with both. Or, if you’re unsure how your parents are going to react or want to test the waters first, you can start off talking about something you learned in health class or heard from a friend. If you want to dive right in, it’s fine to tell your parents that you’re nervous (they may be too!) but that it makes you feel good to have parents you can talk to. Hopefully they will be thoughtful and patient in their response. But also be aware that they may not react as you hoped, no matter how well you explain your situation. You should listen to what they have to say because it may give you new ways of thinking about things. But it also may be the case that you have to agree to disagree on this topic for now.

Great question! There are a lot of different pill options out there, so you should consult with your doctor regarding how quickly yours become effective. Generally, you need to be on them for a full week before they start being effective. The pills also needs to be taken everyday, often at the same time everyday, to maintain full effectiveness.