Family planning clinics, like Planned Parenthood, are great places for teens to get information about birth control and help getting it.

These clinics often charge only what you can afford to pay. Most clinics also protect your confidentiality, meaning they never tell your parents or call your house without your permission. It’s best to call ahead to ask the clinic what their specific policy is on confidentiality.

Clinic educators or counselors will talk to you about your birth control options—everything from the Pill to condoms to Depo-Provera (a birth control shot that lasts three months).

This is also the place to go for emergency contraception (EC)—which can prevent a pregnancy up to five days after unprotected vaginal sex. It’s best to get EC as soon as possible because its effectiveness goes down the longer someone waits. Remember that EC is meant to be used in emergencies or as a backup (if a condom breaks, etc.), not as a planned way to prevent pregnancy. It works between 75 and 89 percent of the time, so you’re not as protected against pregnancy as you are with a condom and birth control. And EC doesn’t protect you against STDs.

To find a clinic near you, call Planned Parenthood at 1-800-230-PLAN (7526), visit their Web site or check out our Get Tested page to find a range of confidential, trustworthy clinics in your area.