Teen Tragedies #3

Just an interesting update on the teen tragedy post http://the-midlife-midwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/teen-tragedies.html . I did see her again after many months. She did have a medical abortion. She wouldn’t let them do an exam and so it was a medication induced abortion. She came back to see me for birth control. She was still very frightened by the speculum. So I took my readers advice. It has been 3 years since onset of sexual relations so a pap smear was indicated. (She was raped 3 years ago….sad, sad story). I gave her the options of me doing a “blind sweep” pap without a speculum or her doing a blind sweep pap at home by herself. She choose to attempt the pap smear at home. I told her how to get the specimen and how to put it into the pap smear vial. She left with the cytobroom, the specimen container and a determination to do it herself. She also left with a prescription for birth control, teaching about safer sex practices, some tips about how to say “no” to sex, and a big hug from me. I’m curious to see how it goes. I am impressed by this girl’s courage. And I am very humbled that she trusted me enough to come back.