If you have your mom take you to get birth control and they ask if you are sexually active, does it matter if you say yes or no? Yes, it does matter: You need to tell the doctor because having sex can affect your health in ways you might not see or feel. But if a person isn't treated, it could lead to serious health problems like pelvic inflammatory disease PID , which can cause infertility the inability to have a baby. Knowing this lets the doctor test for "hidden" infections to be sure everything's OK. It also means the doctor can give you the right advice for your situation.

Great question! What you talk about with your doctor is private and confidential. In most states, many sexual health services like birth control and STI testing are confidential for minors. However, the specifics of the law depend on where you live. If you live in the United States, you can check out this handy chart from the Guttmacher Institute to see what services are confidential.

BCBenefits makes it easier than ever to get birth control for free. I decided to take an informal poll of young women from lots of different backgrounds to find out how their mothers came to know of their sexual activity. Here are some tips, which can also be applied to talking with your dad, aunt, other mom, etc. Based on my poll and my own experience, a key thing mothers want is for their daughters to avoid making the same mistakes they feel like they made.