Should Teenagers Be Tracking Their Fertility?
Since its release in October 2006, Toni Weschler’s Cycle Savvy: The Smart Teen’s Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body has garnered a lot of attention, much of it critical. Sure, the idea is great: Teach teenage girls how to understand the hormonal changes happening to their bodies, awesome. But the book goes beyond teens’ blossoming womanhood and discusses ways of determining your most fertile days. This may seem a little extreme, but Weschler’s brother, Lawrence Weschler, who collaborated on the book with her, wanted to go even farther.
He wanted to feature the specific rules that show how women can chart their waking temperatures, cervical fluid and cervical position to avoid or achieve pregnancy. But [Toni] argued that teenagers weren’t yet responsible enough to follow those rules.
Ultimately, over her brother’s objections, the book wound up detailing how teens can determine their most fertile days — but not telling them when sex carries little pregnancy risk. It does note that there’s a way to use charting for birth control but says that this should only be done by adults and stresses that adolescents should never have unprotected sex.*
There are folks who advocate for giving our teens as much information as possible to arm them to make informed choices about their own bodies (”Because hey,” most folks say, “they’re going to have sex anyway, so we might as well give them the tools to be safe.”), and others who argue that teaching kids how to avoid pregnancy through charting methods and providing contraceptive measures encourages them to have sex. No matter which side of the fence you’re on, it’s an issue that warrants discussion.
What do you think?
Related Stories
POSTED IN: Body, Health, Hormones, Parenting, Pregnancy, Prevention, Relationships, Sex, Women's Issues
.gif)
5 opinions for Should Teenagers Be Tracking Their Fertility?
Katharine
Mar 20, 2007 at 6:34 pm
I’m the mother of a 23-year-old young woman, and I’m firmly in the camp of “as much information as possible.” It’s precisely because American society keeps young women in the dark about their bodies that there are unwanted pregnancies, high rates of sexually transmitted infections, and (Oh my God! She’s going to say it!) sexually dissatisfied women. Having knowledge is having the power to keep yourself healthy and better direct the course of your life.
sognatrice
Mar 22, 2007 at 10:05 am
Agreed Katharine. With young girls beginning menstruation earlier and earlier, it is essential that we teach them what the whole process is about–with facts.
IMHO, if we look far enough into who’s really against spreading such knowledge, we’ll find not only (often) religious “you’re encouraging sex” arguments but also drug companies–I’m guessing birth control manufacturers are just a tad nervous about what might happen if menstruating women learn to control our reproduction by knowing our bodies better.
Sydney
Mar 22, 2007 at 4:26 pm
I agree with you both - I am a strong believer in providing accurate and comprehensive sexual health information. I just cannot buy the argument that sex ed info encourages teenagers to go out and have sex. For me, finding out about the consequences of sex encouraged me to make better decisions, not jump into bed. It made me very cautious about getting sexually involved because I knew the risks of my actions.
Kristen King
Mar 23, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Sydney, I hope that my daughter (when I eventually have one) is like you. You’re so level headed! I love it.
Education is important, but the facts need to be accompanied by feelings. What’s important to you as a parent? What values do you want to impart to your children? They need the whole picture, not just “the facts.” IMHO, that’s where a lot of parents drop the ball.
kk
Katharine
Mar 23, 2007 at 9:05 pm
Right on, Kristen.
My husband and I have always been very open with our children—male and female—about how bodies work and about sexuality being strongly connected to emotions and relationships.
Our daughter, now 23, was embarrassed as a teen by how candid we were, but now that she’s a social-work intern, she tells all her fellow students that we were the coolest parents ever, because she could talk to us about absolutely everything.
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: