My Doctor Online The Permanente Medical Group

Condoms

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Condoms keep you from getting pregnant by stopping the sperm and the egg from joining.

Unlike other methods of birth control, condoms are used only when you have sex. There are certain advantages to this: You don't have to remember to take a pill every day or change a patch every week.

On the other hand, thinking about birth control before and during sex can be a disadvantage as well. Some teens feel like stopping to put on a condom is an interruption – but remember that it's better to practice safer sex than to get a sexually transmitted disease.

The condom is the only kind of birth control that can protect you against STDs like HIV. This is very important. You can get an STD and pass it on to others. You can get or cause a serious or even life-threatening disease.

Condoms are easy to get at almost any drugstore or supermarket. Many health centers, family planning clinics (such as Planned Parenthood), and some schools distribute them free of charge.

Long-Term Methods

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Long-term birth control methods are the most effective means of preventing pregnancy for teens. They are convenient and easy to use. There are several types of long-term birth control, including the implant (Implanon) and the intrauterine device (IUD).

Long-term birth control is best for teens who want to prevent pregnancy for a long period of time. With these birth control methods, you do not have to think about birth control every day or every time you have sex. However, keep in mind that you might see changes in your menstrual cycle. This could mean unpredictable bleeding patterns, having lighter periods, or not having periods at all.

If you are considering long-term birth control, we should discuss this option. It will fit your needs if:

• You're sure you want to postpone getting pregnant for a year or longer.
• You don't want to have to remember to take a pill every day or use birth control every time you have sex.
• You are not concerned that your periods may change.

Hormonal Methods

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Birth control pills use hormones to prevent pregnancy. Most birth control pills contain two hormones: estrogen and progesterone.

Hormonal birth control methods are highly effective. They work by stopping your ovaries from producing an egg once a month. The hormones can also thicken the mucus made by your cervix (the narrow, lower end of the uterus), making it harder for sperm to reach the egg.

Some hormonal methods require that you use them every day; others need to be used only on a weekly or monthly basis.

Hormonal methods include:

• The Pill.
• The Ring.
• Depo-Provera, sometimes called "The Shot," which is an injection that contains the hormone progestin. It is a very confidential method for teens who are worried about keeping birth control around the house. You do have to be able to arrange transportation to the medical offices every 3 months.

Emergency Birth Control

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If you have sex without using any protection, emergency birth control can prevent you from becoming pregnant. You should consider emergency birth control if:

• You had sex without using birth control.
• You had a problem with your birth control (the condom broke or slipped off).
• You missed several birth control pills or were late for your contraceptive shot.
• You were forced to have sex.
• You have a partner who will not use or let you use birth control.

Sometimes emergency birth control is called emergency contraceptive pills (ECPs) or the morning-after pill. This name is confusing since you can take emergency birth control up to 5 days after you've had unprotected sex, not just the morning after. One type of emergency birth control is known by the brand name Plan B.

The sooner you take ECPs, the more effective they are in preventing pregnancy. If you would like more information about how to get ECPs, please call my office or the Appointment and Advice line.

Your Care with Me

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If you are having sex and do not want to get pregnant, it’s important to choose a birth control method that you will use regularly and feel comfortable with.  If you aren’t sure which type of birth control is best for you, you and I can discuss your options and make a birth control plan. 

If you’d like to start using a new method of birth control, your next steps depend on which type of birth control you’re interested in using. 

• Condoms, female condoms, and spermicides (such as gels or foams) are available in our pharmacies and at your neighborhood pharmacy. They may also be available at your school health center. They are inexpensive, and you don’t need a prescription to buy them.
• Let me know if you’re interested in starting hormonal methods (like the birth control pill, patch, ring, or Depo-Provera) or long-term methods (like a birth control implant or an IUD). 

No matter what type of birth control you choose to use, you should also know about emergency birth control.  It can prevent pregnancy after you have had unprotected sex or if birth control fails (the condom breaks, you miss pills).

If you are sexually active, it’s good idea to have emergency birth control before you need it, just in case.  Call our Appointment and Advice line 24 hours and day, 7 days a week, to request a prescription.  Then you can pick up your pills at our pharmacy.  Review the information on emergency birth control for more information and let me know if you have questions.

Contacting Me

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You can connect with me in a variety of ways, depending on the situation and what is most convenient for you at the time. I am available online, by telephone, or in person. 

• For nonurgent questions or concerns, you can e-mail me using this site, once you have registered on kp.org. You can also schedule an appointment online to see me in person.
• If your concerns are immediate, or you simply prefer to use the telephone, please call our Appointment and Advice line, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our advice nurses can give you immediate advice, and our telephone staff can send me a message or schedule an appointment for you.

Protecting Your Privacy

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Teens 13 and older can reach any medical professional without parental permission for these confidential services.  Make an appointment to talk with me privately if you:

• Think you might be pregnant.
• Need birth control.
• Think you have a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
• Need information about alcohol or other drug use.
• Want to talk about personal, school, or family issues.

You can make your own appointments for confidential services by calling our Appointment and Advice Line. 

What we talk about is private.  In most cases I cannot tell your parents or guardians anything about your visit if you’re seen for any confidential service. One important exception: I do need to tell them if you are in danger or are thinking about hurting yourself or someone else. 

If you have signed up to be able to e-mail me, keep in mind that your parent/s or guardian/s may have, too, using our Act for a Family Member feature.  This means that anyone who is legally entitled to manage your healthcare can read the e-mails you send to me, and that I send to you.  If you want to discuss something private, please call me or make an appointment to see me in person instead of sending a secure e-mail.

Coordinating Your Care

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Having all of our Kaiser Permanente departments located together or nearby, including pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, and health education, makes getting care easier.

Another major benefit is our comprehensive electronic medical record system, which allows all of the doctors and clinicians involved in your care to stay current on your health status and to collaborate with each other as appropriate.

When every member of the health care team is aware of all aspects of your condition, care is safer and more effective.

If you come to an office visit

• At the beginning of your visit, you will receive information about when you are next due for a well child visit (checkup) and immunizations. We can discuss and schedule any preventive tests that may be needed.
• At the end of your visit, you may receive a document called the “After Visit Summary” that will summarize the issues we talked about during the visit. You can refer to it if you forget what we discussed, or if you just want to recheck your height, weight, or vital signs.   

If you schedule a telephone appointment

• In addition to in-person visits, we now offer the option of telephone appointments for certain common pediatric concerns. Depending on your symptoms, you may have the option to schedule a telephone appointment with me or another pediatrician, if I am unavailable. We will call you at an agreed-upon time, at whichever phone number is most convenient for you.
• Many teens like this new option, but if you prefer to be seen in person, it’s always your choice. Just let the telephone staff know what type of visit you prefer.
• Telephone appointments are not appropriate for all health concerns. The advice nurse can help you decide what type of care is best for you.

If I prescribe medications

We will work together to monitor and assess how your medications are working and make adjustments as needed.

Prescriptions can be filled at any Kaiser Permanente pharmacy. Just let me know which pharmacy works best for you, and I will send the prescription electronically, in advance.

If refills are needed in the future, you can:

Order them online or by phone. Order future refills from my home page or by phone using the pharmacy refill number on your prescription label.

• Have them delivered to you by mail at no extra cost. Or you can pick up your medications at the pharmacy.
• If no refills remain when you place your order, the pharmacy will contact me regarding your prescription.

If lab testing or imaging is needed

For lab tests, I will use our electronic medical record system to send the requisition to the Kaiser Permanente laboratory of your choice. For imaging procedures, such as X-rays, we will schedule an appointment with the Radiology Department.

When the results are ready, we will contact you with the results by phone. We may ask you for a phone number where you can receive your results confidentially.  If you do not have a cell phone, we may ask you to call us for the results instead, to ensure that we protect your privacy.  

If I refer you to a specialist

My specialty colleagues are readily available to assist me if I need additional advice about your condition. In some cases, I may contact them during your visit, so we can discuss your care together. If we decide you need a specialty appointment after that discussion, we can often schedule it the same day or soon thereafter.
 

Convenient Resources for You

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My goal is to provide high-quality care and to offer you choices that make your health care convenient. I recommend that you become familiar with the many resources we offer so that you can choose the services that work best for you.

My Doctor Online is available to help you manage your care at any time that is most convenient for you. From my home page you can sign up for kp.org and:

Stay on top of your health

• Manage your prescriptions and refills.
• Schedule well visit and non-urgent appointments.
• View your preventive services to see whether you are due for any immunizations or well visits.
• View and send secure e-mail messages*

*Secure means e-mail communication between you, me, and other members of your health care team is behind our firewall and password protected.  Anyone who can act on your behalf (for example, your parents) will have access to this e-mail box.  If you want to talk confidentially, l encourage you to call me or make an appointment to see me in person, instead of sending a secure message online.

Learn more about your condition

• Read about causes, symptoms, treatments, and procedures.
• Find interactive health tools, videos, and podcasts to help you manage your condition. 
• View programs to help you decide on or prepare for a surgery or procedure.

Stay healthy

• Locate health education classes and support groups offered at our medical center.
• Explore interactive programs, videos, and podcasts that focus on helping you stay healthy.
• Check to see if you are due for a well teen visit or need any immunizations.