Youth Klinic Moldova (YK) is a network of youth-friendly health centers (part of primary health care) that aims to offer complex multi-disciplinary health services, adapted to the special development and health needs of adolescents and young people in the Republic of Moldova.

More about YK: https://www.yk.md/about.html

The doors of the YK centers are open to every teenager or young person, regardless of the background they come from, the problems they have, the conditions they experience, regardless of ethnicity, the language they speak, etc. In the same way, parents of teenagers can benefit from the services of the centers, specialties from different fields that work with young people.

Youth Klinic centers focus their activity on issues/questions related to sexual-reproductive health (pubertal development, pregnancy prevention, pregnancy assistance, including safe abortion), emotional well-being, substance use, violence, eating disorders, etc.

Thus, if you wish

• To be listened to, heard and helped.
• To understand what is happening to your body.
• To build a harmonious relationship of friendship and love.
• To find out answers to the questions that concern you (acne, sexuality, contraception and other).
• To improve relations with parents.
• To have more self-confidence.
• To resist temptations, as well as to learn to say "NO".

Do you have a health problem and don't know how to solve it? Come to the YOUTH KLINIC!

In all 41 centers that are part of the large YK family, more than 250 experienced specialists work in health problems faced by young people (psychologists, social workers, gynecologists, urologists-andrologists, dermato-venereologists, HIV/AIDS counselors, etc.).

• Health information and education, including through the YK volunteer program.
• Medical and psychological counseling
• Medical examination and testing (including rapid tests for HIV, Syphilis, pregnancy, hemoglobin, etc.)
• Indication of treatments, medical recommendations with the offer of some medicines, condoms and other products for the return of pregnancy.
• Psycho-emotional support and psychotherapy.
• Social assistance and referral to other services as needed.

They are free for young people up to 24 years old (their cost is covered by the National Health Insurance Campaign, National Programs and others)

Accessing the data compartment of the application or www.yk.md or search Youth Klinic networks. YK centers are in every DISTRICT and MUNICIPALITY, located in medical institutions (polyclinics). I can guide myself 24 hours a day and help make an appointment at YK and the operators at YK Support Line - 0 800 800 22

When you can answer yes to all of the following questions:

1. Is this the right person for whom you have true feelings?
2. Is it your decision, without being forced or manipulated?
3. Is this decision consistent with your moral beliefs?
4. Is your body mature enough to do it?
5. Do you know how to protect yourself and your partner from an unwanted pregnancy and a sexually transmitted infection, and do you know where you can easily get condoms and other contraceptives?
6. And the last one: You have reached the age of 16, from which, according to the law, it is allowed to give consent for sexual relations (otherwise, the adult partner who has sexual relations with a minor under 16, could be punished by law)?

Masturbation is a natural component of knowledge of the first sexual reactions in adolescence and a sexual discharge during this period, which does not affect either mental or physical health in any way, and can even be an alternative to early sexual contacts. Only in the rare cases when masturbation becomes an obsession, perhaps the advice of a psychologist or a gynecologist, urologist or sexologist is welcome. You may call for more info the nearest YK center.

No, it is not a disease, but on the contrary - nocturnal pollution in boys is one of the basic signs of male sexual maturation, being a kind of training of the erectile and ejaculation system and a way of discharging excess sexual energy at this age.

More info in the puberty section.

Menstruation is a natural body function for the reproductive health of women and adolescents. With puberty, every month, a girl's menstrual cycle begins with menstruation (2-7 days). After menstruation, the walls of the uterus begin to line with tissue and small blood vessels, preparing to receive a fertilized egg. Around the 14thday of each cycle, an egg is released from one of the ovaries and travels to the uterus (this is called ovulation). If the egg is not fertilized, then the lining of the uterus is not needed and sheds and is eliminated through the vagina with the blood during menstruation.

More info in the menstrual health section

Bleeding does not always occur at the first sexual intercourse, because the hymen does not always break at the first sexual intercourse (in some cases, because of a very elastic hymen, it only breaks at the first birth), or maybe the tear is so small that it does not bleed. Thus, the absence of bleeding at first contact is not always related to the fact that the girl was not a virgin.

The truth is that it can, because in some cases the maturation and release of the sex cell by the ovary (ovulation) can come earlier than the first menstruation, in particular it can be induced by intercourse at this early age and then she can become pregnant, especially in the age close to the onset of menstruation.

The truth confirmed by studies all over the world, including in the Republic of Moldova, is that teenagers who communicated openly with their parents about sexuality (the information given by adults being correct and age-appropriate), on the contrary, start sexual relations much later than their peers.

There is no ideal method for absolutely all teenagers - depending on their age, whether or not they have sexual relations, if so - what is their character, whether or not there are other health problems, the most suitable method for the case can be chosen in each individual case given. Thus, adolescents can choose to abstain or postpone the beginning of sexual contacts until they feel really ready for it or use modern methods of contraception. Adolescents who have sex can choose any method of modern contraception, preferring priority methods, such as the condom, the double method (condom together with other methods - pills, patches, etc.), emergency contraception (taken within 72 hours after unprotected contact), long-term reversible contraception (steriloid, implant, contraceptive injections, etc.).

More info in the contraception section.

Adolescent girls, on the one hand, like women of other ages, have the right to choose: to keep the pregnancy or terminate it safely, if the term of the pregnancy allows. On the other hand, scientific data have clearly demonstrated that the risk of teenage girls dying in childbirth is 10-20 times higher (the younger the future mother's age, the higher this risk) than the risk of dying following a safe abortion. That is why it is necessary in each case to evaluate these risks and the adolescent's opinion together with the doctor and to decide what the optimal solution can be.

More info in the pregnancy, abortion, perinatal care section

It's not easy, it's often impossible to tell that a person is infected by appearance alone - most sexually transmitted infections are often asymptomatic. When symptoms do occur, they may be non-specific. From infection to the appearance of symptoms, it can take from a few days to several months - therefore it is not necessary to wait if it was a risk situation - unprotected sexual contacts (without a condom), especially with one or more casual partners. Remember! The lack of symptoms does not mean that there are no sexually transmitted infections if there were unprotected sexual contacts!!!

More info in the ITS section

On the contrary, the vaccine, by protecting the cervix from HPV infection, prevents many forms of infertility caused by cervical conditions, and respectively, increases the chances of couples to have children.

More info about HPV vaccination in the HPV vaccination (STI) section.

To remember that what would not have happened - it is not their fault, but the abuser's and call for help as soon as possible. If possible - to call even in the first 72 hours, when it is easier to take measures to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, HIV infection and other infections. The faster one calls for help, the less consequences abuse can leave on life and subsequent health! All Youth Friendly Health Centers/Youth Klinic have everything necessary to provide such help. Call the nearest Center or, if you do not know how to proceed, call 112 or YK Support Line 080080022.

More Info in the GBV compartment

Just like everyone else, people with disabilities who do not have major physical impediments can conceive, carry a pregnancy, give birth and care for children once they reach sexual maturity. Just like everyone else, disabled people go through the process of sexual development, they have sexual perceptions and experiences, they have the same aspirations for creating a family and having children. These people have the same sexual-reproductive rights as everyone else.

Of course, in order to ensure the realization of these rights to the safe manifestation of sexuality, to family planning and family creation, the birth of children, people with disabilities, including adolescents, need adapted programs of sexual education, the adaptation of medical services to their needs, support social supplement.

More info in the section for people with disabilities