Public schools in Seattle are offering more than just an education; they are offering teen girls of any age the opportunity to get free IUDs implanted into their uterus and other long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) without parental consent at clinics right in the school setting. According to New York Magazine, the ability to get an IUD inserted in school, for free, removes barriers for teens who do not want to discuss the option with their parents or risk involving their parents’ health insurance policies.

Washington law states that minors of any age are permitted to obtain birth control services without a parent’s consent. Meanwhile, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends LARCs, like IUDs, as the most effective way to prevent teen pregnancy.

If a girl in a Seattle public school would like to have an IUD inserted into her uterus without talking to her parents about it and without her parents ever knowing, she can simply consult with an in-school clinic and apply for the Washington state Medicaid program called “Take Charge” to pay for the service instead.

Salon reported that teens at one Seattle high school, Chief Sealth International School, are lining up to get their IUDs inserted.

“Contrasting sharply with the attitudes toward sex and sexuality promoted at countless public schools across the country, Chief Sealth International School is taking a different approach, offering students the option to receive the contraceptive of their choice at no cost and without having to use their parents’ health insurance. Thanks to a Washington state Medicaid program called Take Charge and the nonprofit Neighborcare, teens can access confidential counseling on different birth control methods — and LARC insertion — more easily than they can buy a soda.”

Katie Acker, a Seattle school health educator, said that teens are able to schedule their IUD insertions, get a Depo-Provera shot, or have Nexplanon implanted right in the middle of the school day.

“Of course, there are always students who are like, ‘I wanna miss IB Math!’ We are not gonna pull you out of IB Math — how about ceramics instead?”

Seattle public schools are featuring the new in-school birth control clinics because teens are regularly afraid to discuss birth control options with their parents. According to New York Magazine, 68 percent of sexually active teens are not on birth control. The in-school clinics are changing that statistic locally in Seattle and building a culture of birth control acceptance and support within the school. Reportedly, girls can even bring a friend for support, and in one instance, an entire school gymnastics team squeezed into a room in one of the clinics to support their teammate while she had an IUD inserted.

One teen explained how appreciative she was of the in-school clinic to Grist.

“Cause like, I’m really independent, so I don’t really talk to my parents about any of it. So if I would’ve had to talk to my parents about the whole birth control thing, I probably wouldn’t [have it].”

In an official report from the University of Washington, Kelly Gilmore said LARC insertions increased by 107 percent between the 2012-13 school year and May 16, 2014, at West Seattle and Chief Sealth.

Of course, IUDs and other LARCs do come with possible side effects, and some parents worry that young girls might not take these risks seriously.

So, the EKG looks good and I’ve dropped 9lbs now that the depo-provera shots are worn off. Thank god. I’d gained 40lbs in 6 months. — Lilu-wulf (@Lilulicious) June 30, 2015

Some parents are also concerned that having an IUD or other LARC might reduce condom use among young teens. IUDs and other LARCs are absolutely not able to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases or infections, and the Depo-Provera shot might even increase the chances of HIV transmission.

Be sure to get screened for STIs before IUD insertion & continue to use condoms to help prevent STI transmission! http://t.co/TDUdGjs4gb — Condoms Fast (@CondomsFast) June 23, 2015

In King County, teens aged 15-19 who become infected with HIV are more likely to be female, and according to health officials, “the proportion of new HIV diagnoses among young people in King County has been increasing in recent years.” In 2012, “people ages 15-29 years comprised about 29% of all new diagnoses, compared to 22% in 2005.” The Washington State Department of Health reports that one in eight new diagnoses of HIV occur among young people aged 13-24. The Seattle Medium reported that Mayor Ed Murray declared April National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Month “in response to this alarming health issue impacting youth and young adults in Seattle.”

According to the State of Washington’s second edition of its 2014 HIV surveillance report, King County still maintains the greatest rate of new HIV cases in the entire state. Seattle Children’s Hospital said that sexual activity at a young age and sex without the use of a latex condom increase teens’ chances of getting an STD like HIV. IUDs and other LARCs being offered by Seattle’s school programs can do nothing to prevent STD transmission, so condom use should be promoted aggressively to sexually active students.

[Photo via Pixabay]