…and I can’t have my mom or dad or anybody drive me because I don’t want them knowing. What do I do?

Thanks for asking! First, there is no age limit for purchasing a pregnancy test. If there is a pharmacy or grocery store within walking distance, you can buy a pregnancy test over the counter without any trouble.  Pregnancy tests are available at most Dollar Stores for just $1!  Otherwise, most cost $10-$20.  Some teens are most comfortable visiting a store with self-checkout; this is something you might consider.

Teen Clinic is also easily accessible by bus!  Check out this page to see which you’d need to hop on.

Last, consider talking to another trusted adult in your life. Do you have a mentor, sibling, teacher, or friend of the family you can turn to?  It’s important to feel supported as you make these big choices, and another adult may be able to help you get to Teen Clinic. If your pregnancy test is negative and you still plan on being sexually active, it’s a good idea to start a birth control method—so visiting Teen Clinic may be your best option. (At TC, pregnancy tests are free of charge and available on a walk-in basis.)

It’s smart that you’re figuring out your options—it’s important to know for sure whether or not you’re pregnant! Give us a call if we can help in any way.

 … I’m scared. I don’t want to tell my parents I masturbate.

Herpes is a virus that transmits through skin-to-skin contact.  It does not transmit through semen, vaginal fluid, or blood—so no, it’s not possible to accidentally give yourself herpes by touching semen and then touching the mouth. In rare cases, it is possible to spread herpes by touching a genital sore and then quickly touching the mouth (or vice versa); however, herpes is fragile and this is unlikely.

It’s good to remember that in order to get herpes, you must come into contact with the mouth or genitals of someone who already has herpes.  For this reason, masturbating alone does not carry a risk of STIs. Although you may not feel comfortable with your parents knowing that you masturbate, rest assured that masturbation is a healthy and normal way to explore your sexuality, and will not damage the body in any way. Thanks for asking!

Nope! In Colorado, minors have the right to access birth control and STI-related services without parental consent and notification. You can start a birth control method or get tested on your own at Teen Clinic even if you’re under 18. It’s actually illegal for us to share your information (even with your parents) unless you specifically tell us we can!

At Teen Clinic, we think it’s important to talk to your parents about sex—but we also understand how difficult these conversations can be. You might not be sure where to start, and your parents may feel uncomfortable with the topic. Teen Clinic is a safe place you can go to ask questions, learn about your body, and get advice. We can help you brainstorm how to talk to your parents, or just keep you safe and healthy until you’re ready.  Your parents are also welcome to give us a call if they have questions or need support.

Thanks for asking this important question! If you’re ready to come in, give us a call to make an appointment.

In Colorado, the law states that minors can access reproductive health care services without parental notification or consent. That means it’s legal for you to take a pregnancy test, start a birth control method, or get tested for STIs without your parents knowing or agreeing to it.

However, we do not perform blood pregnancy tests at Teen Clinic. Here’s why: urine pregnancy tests and blood pregnancy tests are both looking for the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotrophin).  A urine pregnancy tests measures whether or not the hormone is present. A blood pregnancy test, on the other hand, measures how much of the hormone is present. Because of this, blood pregnancy tests are more expensive. They are used to estimate how pregnant someone is.

Because Teen Clinic does not offer obstetric care, we do not offer pregnancy tests that determine how pregnant someone is—only whether or not they are.  If you are pregnant, we do offer free options counseling.  Patients who decide to continue their pregnancies will be referred to another doctor who offers pre-natal services.

Thanks for asking a great question! Feel free to walk in at Teen Clinic any day we’re open for a free urine pregnancy test.

… Or can she come with me into the room?

At Teen Clinic, our policy is to bring patients back alone. This is for the patient’s protection—we want to make sure each patient feels they can honestly share information about their sexual health, family, relationships, and substance abuse history, without censoring themselves because someone else is in the room. We understand you may feel uncomfortable coming back alone your first time—but we promise we’re very nice!

After we’ve had a chance to talk to you, we’re happy to answer questions your partner or parent might have. If your friend has questions about sexual health, tell them to consider making an appointment, too! Lots of friends support each other by visiting Teen Clinic at the same time.

If you are having a procedure done—such as an Implanon or IUD insertion—feel free to ask the practitioner if your friend can come back. We’ll still want to talk to you alone at the beginning of the visit, but we know it can be nice to have a hand to hold during insertions.

Thanks for asking!

In Colorado, minors do not need parental consent to receive an abortion. However, state law does require that they notify their parents/guardian at least 48 hours before the procedure.  A minor can choose to notify her parents herself (with a certification form), or she may choose to have her abortion provider send notification by certified mail.  She may also ask a judge to excuse her from this requirement, particularly if telling her parents would place her in danger.

In other words, no. If you are under 18 and seeking an abortion in Colorado, you are required to tell a parent unless you are in danger or a victim of incest/abuse.

In some states, parental notification is not required. To learn more about abortion laws by state, check out this Guttmacher Institute Fact Sheet.  If you are pregnant and not sure what to do, give Teen Clinic a call. We offer free, unbiased decision counseling and referrals.

No!  In Colorado, it’s actually your legal right to get reproductive healthcare without parental notification or consent. That means you can walk into Teen Clinic or make an appointment any day we’re open without your parents/guardians knowing or being involved. All of our appointments are confidential- including STI testing & treatment, birth control methods, exams, emergency contraception and pregnancy tests. The only exception is for the HPV vaccine Gardasil- teens under 18 must have parental/guardian signature to receive it.

Even though Teen Clinic is confidential, we’ll always encourage you to talk to a parent or trusted adult about your sexual health.  If you’re not sure how to approach the topic, chat with one of our nurses during your appointment.  Reading our section for parents/guardians might help you understand your parents better, too.

What a great question!  At Teen Clinic, we require everyone to fill out three forms:

• Our privacy policy. By law, all health professionals must protect the confidentiality of their patients. They must also inform patients of their privacy rights. By signing this form, Teen Clinic patients are acknowledging that they have read the policy and know their information is confidential.

• Our Family Planning consent.  This consent form tells patients more about our services.  We do not ask patients any questions on this form, but we do require that everyone signs it.  Among other things, the form lets patients know we are required by law to report certain medical information; by signing, a patient is consenting to our services.

• Our demographic form. Funding for Teen Clinic comes from a lot of places.  One of these is Title X, a federal family planning program that subsidizes birth control costs for low-income people. In order to receive this funding, we are required to collect information on the income and insurance status of our patients.   Teen Clinic also receives funding from private foundations and local governments, as well as private individuals. Sometimes our funders want to know what types of people we are reaching. Because of this, our demographic form includes questions about your address, disability status, race, ethnicity, language, gender/sex, and sexual orientation. Lastly, it’s important that we know certain important things about our patients! Your name, birthdate, relationship status, emergency contact and whether or not your parents know you are here are all important to your care. We also want to know whether it’s okay to text you, call you, leave you a message, or send mail.

Depending on what you’re here for, you may need to fill out forms about your medical health history. On these forms, we ask questions about your family’s health history, your menstruation (if female), your nutritional and exercise habits, and your drug and alcohol use. You may also be asked to answer questions about the number of partners you’ve had, sexual activities you’re engaging in, and condom use. Please answer these questions honestly!  Having your most up-to-date, accurate information will allow us to fully address your health concerns.

If you have any specific concerns about Teen Clinic paperwork, feel free to ask! Give us a call at the clinic to talk to someone about paperwork. You can also talk to the Front Desk employee when you are filling out your forms.

And don’t forget that Teen Clinic is always there for you and your Teen!

Nope!  In Colorado, the law states that minors can access contraceptive and STI-related services without parental notification or consent.  It’s actually illegal for us to discuss your care with anyone else—unless you tell us we can!  Because Teen Clinic is free, you won’t need money from your parents to take care of your health. We also double check whether it’s okay to call, text, or leave you a message to help protect your confidentiality.

Teen Clinic can be a great place to brainstorm how to talk to your parents about sexual health. Feel free to share your concerns about confidentiality with our medical professionals. At the end of the day, getting tested is a healthy, responsible decision if you’re already sexually active! We recommend getting tested after new partners, unprotected sex, or at least once a year.