• Express Yourself

    • Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      Visual Arts: Fall-Winter 2023

      “Self Portrait” by Katie McDowell (18), New Orleans Center for Creative Arts  "An Old Man in Military Costume" by Simone Wuttke (18), Dartmouth College (recent Benjamin Franklin High School graduate) "This oil on canvas painting is inspired by Rembrandt's 'An Old...

    • The Stages of Grief

      The Stages of Grief

      I have sat with anger ingrained in my ribs night after night. I know the five stages of grief. Why am I so stuck on anger? Denial was the first one. It hit when I stood in front of my fridge all alone in my house with my knees wobbling, staring at the screen on my...

    • Be Well

    • Yoga: Partner Poses

      Yoga: Partner Poses

      Partner Yoga Poses by Laurie Azzano of Lolo’s Youth StudioYaaaas, finally! Hello, summer! Inhale deadlines. Exhale freedom. If you’re like most, summer represents one big sigh of relief. No more early morning alarm clocks, homework, tests, school drama, or crazy,...

    • Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Saqqarah’s Brownies

      Makes 20-24 brownies (depending on how big you slice them) BAKE TIME: 30 minutesIngredients 6 eggs 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 cups brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 sticks butter 1/2 cup Crisco shortening 1 1/2 cups baking cocoa powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 teaspoons...

    • Resources for Your Mental Health

      Resources for Your Mental Health

      If you are struggling with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, or any form of mental distress, reach out to someone right away who can be there for you. Professional help is always an option when your psychological well-being is at risk. There is zero shame in...

    • Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics Fall-Winter 2023

      Teen-Friendly NOLA ClinicsClinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or...

    • Have Fun

    • Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Mindfulness Guide for Your Zodiac Sign

      Have you ever wondered how you can apply astrology to your everyday life but don’t know where to start? Astrology can be very complex and sometimes overwhelming to interpret, so I have compiled a quick guide to help you consciously incorporate daily practices to...

    • How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      How to Be an Eco-Dresser

      Did you know clothing isn’t biodegradable?That means it doesn’t decompose once it’s dumped in the trash—it just sits in a landfill and creates nasty greenhouse gases in our environment. “We have to think longer and harder about the clothing we wear, where it came...

    • GLITTER!

      GLITTER!

      New Orleanians love their glitter, and, more than ever, we all deserve a little extra sparkle in our lives. Addie Ellis of the local biodegradable glitter company Glitter Nymph shared with us how to make shimmery oil that is good for your skin and nature. Since you...

    • Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      Must Read Books Fall-Winter 2023

      I Feed Her to the Beast and the Beast is Me by Jamison Shea What it’s about: Laure will do anything to prove a Black girl can be a star in the cutthroat world of Parisian ballet, even make a deal with a primordial power she finds in a pulsating river of blood in the...

    • Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Volunteer Opportunities for Service Hours

      Are you looking for inspiring ways to volunteer in the local community while fulfilling your school’s service hour requirements? We’ve talked to some great organizations in the area that rely on volunteers to help their wonderful programs run. Learn more about each...

    • Expand Your Mind

    • Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Unplanned Pregnancy in Louisiana

      Imagine that you just found out you are pregnant. For some young people, this may be exciting news; for others, it is not. Questions swirl: How can I take care of a baby and finish school? How can I afford to be a parent if I don’t finish school? How will my parents...

    • Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz

      Lucy Scholz is my “shero” because she ran 300 miles from Los Angeles, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of The Speed Project. That’s roughly like running to Houston, Texas, or Seaside, Florida, from New Orleans! Not only did she win the 2023 competition and...

    • When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      When I Grow Up: Careers in Skilled Trades

      Careers in Skilled Trades With the cost of college continuing to rise, skilled trade careers are a great alternative pathway to stable, well-paying work and upward social mobility. Many trade workers provide essential services and help build and maintain important...

  • About Us
  • Read Geaux Girl!
Reproductive health is the care of the male and female reproductive organs (or sex organs). During a visit with your primary care provider or OB-GYN, you can ask any questions you have about your breasts, menstrual cycle, cramps, abnormal vaginal discharge, burning sensation when you urinate, lesions to the genital area, sex, condom use, birth control, and anything else you are concerned or curious about.
The visit will likely include a conversation about your medical history, an exam, and lab work. Remember that you can request privacy when talking with your provider!

Male Reproductive Organs

Testicles
Two oval-shaped organs that produce and store sperm

Scrotum
A pouch that sits on the outside of the body and holds the testicles

Penis
Made up of the shaft and glans (the shaft is the main part and the glans is the head  of the penis, which has a small slit for urine and sperm to exit the body)

Female Reproductive Organs

Vulva and Labia
cover the opening of the vagina

Vagina
the internal canal from the vulva to the cervix

Cervix
doughnut-shaped organ that connects the vaginal canal to the uterus
(it has a small circular opening that allows a monthly cycle or a baby to pass through)

Uterus
hollow pear-shaped organ that can protect and grow a fetus and that sheds its lining during menstruation

Fallopian Tubes
a pair of elongated tubes that extend from each side of the uterus to the ovaries
(they carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus)

Ovaries
two oval-shaped organs one of which releases an egg into a fallopian tube once a month

Be Safe

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs aka STDs) are spread through unprotected sex. They can spread through contact with the penis, vagina, mouth, or rectum. STIs can also spread through drug use with needles. Some of these infections can be cured with medication; others can’t be cured but can be controlled with medication. If you are having sex, then using a condom is the only way to protect yourself from getting an STI.

“Safe sex is great sex, better wear a latex.”

LIL WAYNE

Be in Control

Birth control provides protection from pregnancy and comes in different forms. Examples include…

MOST EFFECTIVE

Abstinence and Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) like Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) and Implants

NOTE: Not all clinics offer LARCs because placement of these devices requires special training. You can ask the clinic staff before making an appointment or walking in.

EFFECTIVE

Pills, The Patch, The Vaginal Ring, The Shot

LESS EFFECTIVE

Condoms, Fertility Awareness Calendar, Withdrawal (Pulling Out)
NOTE: Some clinics offer free condoms at the front desk or with an appointment. Don’t be embarrassed to be protected!

Condoms are not as reliable as many other methods of contraception, but they prevent pregnancy – and protect against STIs – if used correctly and consistently.

Condoms and birth control should be used together!

Keep Calm

If the condom breaks, you can use emergency contraception (EC), aka Plan B. It comes as either a pill (one dose) or an IUD. The EC pill can be bought over the counter (without a prescription). An IUD requires a visit to an adolescent or reproductive health clinic. EC should be used within 1-5 days of unprotected sex (the earlier you take it, the more effective it is). So, if you have unprotected sex and forgot to take your birth control at the scheduled time, or if a condom breaks, use EC as soon as you can!

There’s a local program called Plan B NOLA that provides free or by-donation emergency contraception. You can call them at (504) 264-3656 or learn more at planbnola.com.

Teen-Friendly NOLA Clinics

Clinics that serve adolescents usually focus on the reproductive health needs of adolescents and young adults but may also provide primary care services. The ages served vary depending on the clinic, but they usually include preteens (11 or 12 years old), teens (12-17 years old), and young adults (18-24 years old).

Kids First Tiger Care Canal
1661 Canal St., Suite 1200
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 299-9980

Children’s Pediatrics Westbank
829 Barataria Blvd.
Marrero, LA 70072
(504) 368-7337

Adolescent Medicine Clinic at Children’s Hospital
200 Henry Clay Ave., Suite 3020
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 896-2888

Tulane Adolescent and Young Adult Health
711 N. Broad St.
New Orleans LA 70119 
(504) 988-0000

Crescent Care
1631 Elysian Fields Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 207-2273

Planned Parenthood
4636 S. Claiborne Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70125
(504) 897-9200

St. Thomas Community Health Center
1936 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 529-5558

LSU/Crescent Care Sexual Health Center
3308 Tulane Ave., 5th floor
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 293-6899
Note: This center only offers STD testing; it does not provide birth control.

Access Health Louisiana
234 Loyola Ave., Suite 300B
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 226-2976

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Jefferson Parish – Marrero
1855 Ames Blvd.
Marrero, LA 70072
(504) 349-8802 ext. 237

Jefferson Parish – Metairie
111 N. Causeway Blvd.
Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 838-5100 ext. 139

Orleans Parish
Delgado Personal Health Clinic
517 N. Rampart St.
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 658-2540

EXCELth

New Orleans East
9900 Lake Forest Blvd., Suite F
New Orleans, LA 70127
(504) 620-0500

Gentilly
2050 Caton St.
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 620-9868

Algiers
4422 General Meyer Ave., Suite 103
New Orleans, LA 70131
(504) 526-1179

School-Based Health Centers

SBHCs provide STD testing and birth control education. These facilities cannot prescribe birth control.

SBHCs that provide care to all adolescents in the community:

McDonogh 35
4000 Cadillac St.
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 359-6821

Sci High
5625 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 613-5648

SBHCs that only provide care to students that attend their schools:

ORLEANS PARISH

Cohen College Prep
3520 Dryades St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 613-5648

Warren Easton
3036 Iberville St.
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 324-7880

ST. BERNARD PARISH

Chalmette High School
1100 E. Judge Perez Dr.
Chalmette, LA 70043
(504) 333-6988

JEFFERSON PARISH

Bonnabel High School
2801 Bruin Dr.
Kenner, LA 70065
(504) 303-6676

John Ehret High School
4300 Patriot St.
Marrero, LA 70072
(504) 371-1318

Riverdale High School
240 Riverdale Dr.
New Orleans, LA 70121
(504) 834-5026

West Jefferson High School
2200 8th St.
Harvey, LA 70058
(504) 367-4407

Have important questions ready (write them down) before going to your appointment, remember you are in control of your visit.