We know that abstinence is cheap, safe, and effective against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STDs). But what if we decide to have sex? How can we get the protection we need to avoid pregnancy?

Fear, embarrassment, and a lack of funds often stop teens from going into a store to buy condoms or from making a doctor’s appointment to explore birth control options. 

Teenagers tend to let sex happen without taking the necessary precautions, experts say. But we do have options. Family planning clinics offer inexpensive, confidential birth control counseling. 

Here’s an inside look at my visit to one of these clinics. 

Where to Go?

When I first received this assignment, my first obstacle was to find out where to go. I had no idea where to start, so I went to the trusty yellow pages. After searching through numerous “see also’s,” I finally found the number of the local family planning services clinic. (See these helpful Sex, Etc. clinic links here.)

I called for the hours, and then rounded up a friend and arranged for her to drive me there. As the day grew nearer, I got cold feet. I was afraid, mostly, of how the people at the clinic would respond to me. Would they treat me like an “annoying teenager”? And how much would it cost? 

The answers surprised me. 

When I arrived at the clinic, I told the nurse that I was interested in getting birth control. She directed me to another nurse and we sat down together to fill out a standard health form. She asked for the basics: name, social security number, and address. 

Then, she told me that I needed to make an appointment, which would last two hours. During the next visit, I would complete a health questionnaire, watch a video, discuss birth control options, and receive a pelvic exam and a Pap smear (a screening test for cervical cancer). 

What’s It Cost?

One of my biggest questions was money. How much would all this cost?

Family planning, I learned, charges on a “sliding scale,” meaning that you only pay what you can afford. Since I am a student without substantial income, the cost of the exam and consultation would be $10. If I chose to start birth control pills, for example, the cost would be $5 per month. A shot of Depo-Provera, which prevents pregnancy for three months, would be $20. Also,  you don’t have to be 18 to use the services of a family planning clinic.

Editors’ Note: Find out more about your rights to sexual and reproductive care in your state at Sex in the States.