Birth control pills

Hey PN, I want to go on the pill to regulate my period and help relieve cramps. My sister is already on it for those reasons and says it helps a lot. I don’t have a very open relationship with my mom. Growing up, she never told me anything about life, puberty, or sex. We are close but we don’t talk about those things. I sent her an email telling her I wanted to go on it. She said we will have to talk about it. She never mentioned it. I know the worst she can do is say no, but I feel extremely uncomfortable asking about it. We recentely got into a fight and she doesn’t trust me as much so I’m worried that she thinks I’m using this as an excuse to have safe sex. But I’m not. I have had the opportunity to have sex a couple of times and every time I have said no because I’m too young and not ready, but she doesn’t know that. But I’m scared she will get mad at me for wanting birth control. And I can’t get it secretly because I can’t drive even though I’m 16 and she sometimes goes through my stuff. Plus I don’t want to lie to her, I am trying to regain the trust we have lost. How do you think I should approach her in a way she will understand?

You need more than a driver’s license to buy birth control pills; you need a doctor’s prescription.  And you should be talking with a doctor anyway about what would be best for your health.  For older teens who want to be sexually active and don’t have a doctor, Planned Parenthood can discuss things with them and provide a prescription, though I’m sure there’s an age limit.  But it would be wonderful if you could improve your relationship with  your mom.  Why not just tell her what you told me?  Be honest.  Begin by saying you want to be able to discuss things like this with her, and hope she’ll listen.  Then make sure she gets a chance to say how she feels about it.