As I say on page 132 of Body Drama, if you are sexually active, sometimes you’ll have questions or you’ll want to obtain sexual health resources like of birth control, tests for infections, and more detailed information. You might not want to talk to your family or teachers, but it’s a terrible idea to make important decisions about your life without getting the help of a medical professional (and no, your best friend who got an “A” in Health class doesn’t count).

Don’t take any chances with your health and your future! Put your fears and embarrassment aside, and use your local sexual health resources. There you can safely and easily obtain the support, information, tests and products you need. Here’s help finding a resource near you.

There are two amazing and safe ways to use the Web to find a comprehensive list of state and local sexual health resources near you - the Planned Parenthood website and the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA) website. So that you don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of information each site provides, I’m going to walk you through the process with screenshots of each step to make your search easy and painless! Click the images to enlarge them.

1) Planned Parenthood
http://www.plannedparenthood.org

You can always count on Planned Parenthood to have the resources and advice you need. Contrary to popular belief, dealing with issues of pregnancy is only a fraction of what their clinics provide! They can give you affordable antibiotics, test you for sexually transmitted diseases and yeast and other infections, give you your annual pap smear, and much more!

Once you’ve typed in the website URL and you’re on the home page, enter your zip code in the box underneath the words “Find a Health Center.” I’m going to use 10128 as my zip code.

Up comes the 20 centers that are closest to your zip code! In this case, the nearest Planned Parenthood is less than four miles away.

You’ll notice that to the right of each Planned Parenthood’s listing there is a list of the services they provide. The one closest to you might not offer the service you need, so check the listing for details. Now that you have the contact information for all nearby clinics, you can call them to schedule an appointment or to ask about their services.

2) National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association
http://nfprha.org/

Next, let’s check out the NFPRHA website for a few more options - they list all other clinics in your area. Once you’ve typed in the URL and you’re on the home page, enter your zip code in the box below the words, “Clinics Near You.”

The clinic possibilities appear on the next page, and Dr. Diaz’s clinic, the Mt. Sinai Adolescent Center, shows up as a service provider in the 10128 area!

Let’s click on her clinic to get the information.

Great - an address AND phone number - everything you need to get the information and help you want.

Now that you are armed with a lot of options, what are you waiting for? Get proactive about taking care of yourself and your body and call one of the clinics in your area right now!

DISCLAIMER: The author is not engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained on this blog are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. The author shall not be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion on this blog.

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