Oral, injectable contraceptives and Plan B are now staples in the nurses’ offices at 13 NYC public schools. The pills are part of CATCH, Connecting Adolescents To Comprehensive Health, a program to keep sexually active teens from having babies.

Of course, fourteen-year-olds shouldn’t be having babies, but handing hormones to little kids without a physical exam or even a medical history is really bad medicine in my book. Here’s why.

First, estrogen and progesterone are prescription medications for a reason: they’re dangerous for some girls. If, for instance, a young girl has one of several medical problems like a blood clotting disorder that she doesn’t know about, these hormones can cause her to have a stroke. Even if she doesn’t have an underlying medical problem, these hormones can still cause  strokes in a very small percentage of users.

Those dispensing contraceptives know that but figure that the percentage is small enough to warrant mass use. Not if your daughter is in that percentage. So, be careful, NYC nurses who hand these out. Who’s going to take the heat when a fifteen-year-old suddenly can’t walk, smile, or think clearly after a few doses?

Second, there’s the issue of efficacy. Yes, birth control…