Preventing an unwanted pregnancy is one thing, but how can a parent tackle the issue of sexually transmitted diseases? Raisingkids.co.uk's medical expert, Dr Malcolm McKenzie, offers some advice.

Raisingkids member's problem
My 17 yr-old daughter has been on the pill to regulate her periods for several years. She's just started going out with her first serious boyfriend, and I know they're thinking about sleeping together. My daughter thinks that since she's on the pill, she doesn't need to worry about other methods of contraception. How do I get through to her and convince her that an unwanted pregnancy is not the worst thing that could happen to her?

Dr McKenzie's advice
As you are aware, the pill is not a barrier method of contraception although, correctly taken, it is an adequate way to avoid pregnancy. STDs are still an issue when using the pill as a contraceptive.

To start with the positive aspects of your situation, your daughter is - at least - aware of the risk of pregnancy and the need to use some form of contraception. Your next step is to make her aware of the other risks of becoming sexually active.

Fortunately, caught in time, most STDs are treatable and have no lasting effects, but I'm presuming your main worries are HIV and AIDS. Although this is a risk, fortunately it is comparatively rare in the UK. However, the current rate of HIV infection in some parts London is 1 in 500, and most of the people infected do not know it - young people cannot afford to be complacent.

Try talking to your daughter, in a rational, adult way, about the risks of STDs; apart from getting her to understand that, at the moment, there is no cure for HIV, you could mention some of the other diseases such as chlamydia.

Chlamydia is an STD that is usually curable via a course of antibiotics but, if left untreated, it can lead to infertility and an increased risk of ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages. Infertility may not seem a pressing problem to your daughter while she is in her teens, but chlamydia is now the most common STD amongst young women and is virtually symptomless. This is just one of many STDs, and talking about it to your daughter might get her to see sense.

Try to remember what it was like when you were in your teens and thought you knew everything. Try not to lose your temper and... good luck!