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Navigate: FAQ Home Page > Doctor Visits & Confidentiality > Sexually active - do not want mom to know
Posted on: 04/29/2008
Question
I'm sexually active but I don't have anyone I can tell. I want to go talk to my doctor and get check ups and stuff, but I don't know how that works. Can doctors tell your parents? What about the money situation? I really want to get check ups, but I don't want my mom to find out.
Answer
You did not say which state you live in, so I cannot tell you exactly what the laws are, but you can go to any local Planned Parenthood, which has a sliding scale for costs and sometimes even free clinics for teens. In CA, after age 12 you have the right to confidential reproductive health care, meaning a doctor cannot tell your mom. Finally, I like to encourage teens to talk to their moms - she might be more supportive than you think.