These methods are more reliable than condoms, birth control pills, experts say
WebMD News from HealthDay
By Amy Norton
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Sept. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Long-acting contraceptive devices should be the first choice of birth control for teenage girls, new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics state.
Although most U.S. teens opt for condoms or birth control pills, two other forms of contraception -- intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants -- are much more reliable, according to the academy.
And they should be the "first-line" choices for teenage girls who don't want to remain abstinent, the academy says in guidelines published Sept. 29 in the journal Pediatrics.
The advice is in line with guidelines from other medical societies, such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
But experts said they hope the official recommendation to pediatricians will increase teenage girls' use of IUDs and implants.
The academy's move is "fantastic," said Dr. David Eisenberg, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Washington University in St. Louis.
"I'm happy to see that every major medical or public health organization in the United States agree that IUDs and implants should be the 'default' first-line contraceptive methods for all women and girls who want them," said Eisenberg, who was not involved in writing the guidelines.
According to Planned Parenthood, IUDs are implanted in the uterus, where they release small amounts of either copper or the hormone progestin. The contraceptive implant, about the size of a matchstick, is inserted under the skin of the arm, where it releases controlled amounts of progestin.
The hormonal IUD (sold under the brand name Mirena) can prevent pregnancy for five years, while the copper version (ParaGard) is effective for about 10 years, according to Planned Parenthood. The contraceptive implant (Implanon, Nexplanon) works for up to three years.
The contraceptives are sometimes called "set and forget" birth control, noted Megan Kavanaugh, a researcher at the Guttmacher Institute in New York City -- a nonprofit organization that focuses on reproductive health.
For condoms and birth control pills to be most effective, people have to use them perfectly. Not so with IUDs and implants, Kavanaugh pointed out.
"That's important for adults, too," she said. "But teenagers are notorious for having a lot on their plates, and being forgetful."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 0.2 percent and 0.8 percent of women who use an IUD will have an unplanned pregnancy within a year. The rate is just 0.05 percent with a contraceptive implant.
With the Pill, about 9 percent of women have an unintended pregnancy each year. Condoms, as people typically use them, are less effective -- with an unplanned pregnancy rate between 18 percent and 21 percent, according to the CDC.
Despite that, U.S. women and teens opt for condoms and birth control pills much more often than IUDs or implants. Part of the reason may be that young women don't realize the devices are an option for them, Kavanaugh said.
source : Pediatricians Endorse IUDs, Implants for Teen Birth Control
