When I was 16, I went to have my annual check-up at the doctor's office. My mom drove me there and back. A few days later a friend drove me home after school. When we arrived at my house my mom asked her to leave the room so that she could talk to me. I assumed that it must be something really serious. She asked me flat out if I was pregnant. I did have a boyfriend BUT I had never had sex. We hadn't even been naked together! I knew enough about sex to know that there was no way I was pregnant. I told her that it was not possible, but I could tell she didn't believe me. Apparently, the doctor had called. There was something wrong with my urine sample; she wanted to talk to me right away. I guess my mom assumed I was pregnant.

My friend offered to drive me up to the doctor's office. I had had the same doctor for years. On the way up there I started to question if there was any way I could be pregnant. I started to doubt all that I knew about sex.

When we arrived at the doctor's, she brought me into her office. I wasn't pregnant but I did have TRICHOMONIASIS! I had an STI and I hadn't even had sex yet!!!! I was so freaked out. I felt ashamed, confused, and scared. She explained that it was curable with antibiotics and that I would be fine. I told her I hadn't had sex yet. I could tell she thought I was full of shit. I still don't know why she would think I would lie about that. She said TRICH is one of the few STIs you can get from toilet seats.

When I left, I felt horrible; I hated that my mom would now want to know what was wrong and that neither she nor the doctor believed me that I had not had sex. On top of all that I had to figure out how I felt about having TRICH. I didn't want anyone to know, ever.

A couple of weeks later, a friend of mine was talking about some clinic for teens that is confidential. I decided that was what I needed. I went to check it out and never looked back. I was never going to be in that situation again, having my mother involved in my health care. What if I did start having sex and needed birth control? I needed it to be private and confidential.

It has been a couple of years since I had trichomoniasis and I still hate that I had to experience that. I swore I would never have sex but I did a year later. I always insist on condoms and that my boyfriend gets a STI check. I never want to go through that again!

Christy Pubil, 17