The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) has issued new guidelines on birth control for sexually active adolescents. The group recommends that teenagers use the IUD or a hormonal implant because they are more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, making them more effective than the pill, condom, or the withdrawal method.
The college states that around 42 percent of 15- to 19-year-old girls are sexually active, and most of them will have used contraception at some point. However, they tend to rely on condoms or the withdrawal method, neither of which is particularly reliable. Those who use the pill frequently use it incorrectly; incorrect use of contraception accounts for eight out of 10 unintended teenage pregnancies.
IUDs are T-shaped plastic devices either wrapped with copper or coated with a hormone and placed inside the uterus. Copper IUDs alter the chemistry of the uterus, so the sperm can't fertilize the egg, while the progestin-coated IUDs thicken the lining of the uterus too much for pregnancy to occur.
Hormonal implants are small, matchstick-size rods inserted under the skin in the arm. They release a progestin hormone that prevents the egg releasing from the ovaries, increases the thickness of the uterine lining, and prevents the sperm traveling to the egg. Once implanted, both forms of contraception last for several years.
Personally, I've always been wary of implanted forms of contraception; they just make me uneasy. However, a reliable form of birth control is important for anyone who's sexually active and not ready for a baby, and the IUD and the hormone implant fit the bill much better than other forms of contraception currently available.
I'm uncertain about using an implant for myself, let alone a teenager. But I also know teenagers have sex, and preventing unwanted pregnancy is more important to me than my squeamishness about the form of contraception. If it's more than 99 percent effective and safe, then I think most of us can agree it's a wise choice for sexually active teens.
Would you let your teenage daughter get an IUD or an implant? Let us know in the comments section below!
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