The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said teen births are declining, but few teenagers use the most effective types of birth control.
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implants (LARC) are the most effective types of reversible birth control. These devices are believed to be safe to use and leave less room for error than pregnancy prevention methods such as the pill. Less than 1 percent of LARC users become pregnant during their first year of use, and the method implant remains effective for up to 10 years. A recent study found most teens knew very little about LARC, and some mistakenly believed they could not use it because of their young age.
"Health care professionals have a powerful role to play in reducing teen pregnancy. They can encourage teens not to have sex and discuss the use of IUDs and implants as contraceptive options available to teens who choose to be sexually active," said Ileana Arias, CDC Principal Deputy Director. "Long-acting reversible contraception is safe for teens, easy to use, and very effective. We need to remove barriers and increase awareness, access, and availability of long-acting reversible contraception such as IUDs and implants."
The CDC also note there are other factors that discourage teens from using LARC, such as high upfront costs and provider that have lack of training on the insertion of the device. Despite the low rate of LARC use among teens, the findings showed this age group is generally participating in safer sex than in previous years.
"The good news is that teens are taking responsibility for their reproductive health needs," said Lisa Romero, a health scientist in CDC's Division of Reproductive Health. "Nearly 90 percent of teens used birth control the last time they had sex, but we also know that teens using birth control do not often choose intrauterine devices and implants - the most effective types of birth control. Parents and teens are encouraged to talk with their health care professional to learn about the various types of birth control, including long-acting reversible contraception."
