Ogletree, Jeremy: Teens and Contraception

                  In our modern world children are maturing more quickly in terms of sexual activity than ever before. Studies show that approximately “42 percent of adolescents ages 15 to 19 have engaged in sexual intercourse.” Through such sexual activity, complications can arise. Teenagers are more prone to unwanted pregnancies as well as at risk of sexually transmitted diseases and infections.

There are a number of proven ways to prevent both STD/STI’s as well as pregnancies. The most frequently used birth control methods are short term methods such as condoms, withdrawal, and birth control pills. Although most teens prefer and trust these methods, they are not the most effective methods of contraceptive. Long term methods such as intrauterine devices or implants are much more effective than the aforementioned short term methods. Not only teens, but their parents/ guardians also prefer to have their child receive the short term methods from a doctor over the long term methods. This lack of wanting to use long term methods are evidenced by the fact that they constitute less than “5% of use” of contraceptives in teens. This puts adolescents at a greater risk of unwanted pregnancy should the less effective methods fail, as they are proven to do at a higher rate than the long term methods.

Some teens and parents may not support the use of IUD’s and implants because they believe them to be irreversible. That is false. They are reversible and the effects last, at the most, a meager twelve months from the removal of the contraceptive. However, one reason the IUD is not used as much as other methods is that it was banned in the aftermath of the complications that arose from the use of the Dalkon Shield IUD. Difficulties with Dalkon Shield led to infertility in some women as well as severe Pelvic Inflammatory Disease.