Would you give your adolescent girls an STD vaccine?

[Fashina86]

astegallrnc:

Eamon,
I don’t think people realize the statistics and that these teens are aware of STDs but continue taking the risks. Teens have sex with full knowledge and with full consent of the physical risks (pregnancy & STDs). Of course, reading statistics was not as enlightening as caring for real people. When I was in the clinic, I shared pictures of STDs and encouraged abstinence. I promoted abstinence more so than “safer sex practices”. Despite my efforts, the teens would return infected with HPV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Trich, and/or HSV. I have seen the reality of teen risk behaviors and can’t deny that reality. Some of these teens come from “good (Christian) homes” (though I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors). I agree with you that the vaccine (if proven safe) is “a preventative measure to be taken along with other methods of educating people about the harms of pre-marital sex and having multiple partners”.

If only we could legislate morality!

Autumn

I completely agree… (wow… it is all making sense now!)

Laura :yup:

 

[Fashina86]

turboEDvo:

It is. The reason that thread was targeted at females was (as far as I could tell) because of the following:

Cost-benefit analysis says that it makes more money sense to just vaccinate the girls. But then again, that only addresses cervical cancer, not contraction of HPV. So, I dunno. None of my posts assumed girls only.

Eamon

Eamon… (are you the only guy here?)

 

[ElizabethAnne]

starlucid:

Absolutely I think every parent should work an std clinic and see how many beautiful kids are sick with something awful the girl had to be refered out for treatment our clinic did not have the equipment to handle her case this was in the mid 1980s. I was told all the tissue would have to be removed by laser to treat it the strain was if i remember correctly now i haven’t worked in gyn for awhile so i maybe wrong giant condylomas I had never seen anything like it and it broke my heart.
The girl was absolutely beautiful average teen she came in alone and her parents were unaware of her condition. Later to boot her gonnorea culture came back positve I live in FL which by law we must report to the state positive gc’s so between her severe condylomas and her positive gc she paid a big price imho for what ever her sin was
My thought at the time…no other teen gave her this i thought a statutory rape or consensual with some nasty adult.
But back to my comment every parent should see the faces these odd diseases affect its not the same as seeing them in an article or a book. It hits home and you say to yourself this could just as easily be my child.

You’re right that if an HPV vaccine is created, a parent can prevent a daughter from contracting HPV and potentially getting cervical cancer. But she can still get gonnorea, HIV and a whole host of other diseases. There will always be more STDs that don’t have a vaccine.

The best way to combat STDs is to be honest with teens. Tell them about the risks, tell them that abstinence is important and achievable and, most importantly, talk with them about chastity and why God calls us all to live that virtue.

One vaccine for one disease is a drop in the bucket. It won’t save anyone from the emotional, spiritual or other physical effects of premarital sex.

 

[astegallrnc]

Absolutely I think every parent should work an std clinic and see how many beautiful kids are sick with something awful the girl had to be refered out for treatment our clinic did not have the equipment to handle her case this was in the mid 1980s. I was told all the tissue would have to be removed by laser to treat it the strain was if i remember correctly now i haven’t worked in gyn for awhile so i maybe wrong giant condylomas I had never seen anything like it and it broke my heart.
The girl was absolutely beautiful average teen she came in alone and her parents were unaware of her condition. Later to boot her gonnorea culture came back positve I live in FL which by law we must report to the state positive gc’s so between her severe condylomas and her positive gc she paid a big price imho for what ever her sin was
My thought at the time…no other teen gave her this i thought a statutory rape or consensual with some nasty adult.
But back to my comment every parent should see the faces these odd diseases affect its not the same as seeing them in an article or a book. It hits home and you say to yourself this could just as easily be my child.

She is one of many I am afraid. It is heartbreaking. If the vaccine is PROVEN SAFE, I believe I would vaccinate my DD. It is true that there are many other STDs out there, but if I can protect her from this I would.

The best way to combat STDs is to be honest with teens. Tell them about the risks, tell them that abstinence is important and achievable and, most importantly, talk with them about chastity and why God calls us all to live that virtue.

Abstinence will certainly protect against the bacterial and protozoan STDs; there are routine screening tests for most of the STDs so any concerns can be addressed. HPV just happens to be more complex than other STDs.

Autumn