Godwin, Domonique: Teens and Contraception

            Today, teens are more sexually active than that of their predecessors. As times change, so do methods used by doctors to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, infections, and most of all: pregnancy. When reviewing the articles “IUDs, Implants Best Teen Birth Control, ACOG Says” by Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer of MedPage Today, and “Parents Prefer Some, Often Less-Effective, Birth Control Methods for Teens” by Milly Dawson, a contributing writer of Health Behavior News Service, it became clear that both writers were trying to inform readers of birth control methods that, although more useful, were not being used as much as methods that are not nearly as effective.

                        “Parents of teen girls are more ready to accept their daughters being offered birth control pills and condoms during doctor visits than other, more effective and long-acting contraceptive methods, according to a new study in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The study also shows that the more that parents respect their daughter’s autonomy, the more likely that they are to accept a doctor offering their teen any contraceptive,” Dawson reported.

            She explained that the majority of parents prefer their children to use traditional types of contraceptives such as  birth control, pulling out, or condoms. This is most likely because parents do not respect their child’s independence. Consequently, their children are more vulnerable to getting pregnant in comparison to children of parents who allow them to use more effective, long-term, forms of contraceptive.

            Dawson goes further to explain that the risk of all contraceptives far outweighs the risk of getting pregnant. Much of the prejudice against IUDs has to do with the events following the marketing of the Dalkon Shield. Unfortunately, the Dalkon Shield caused pelvic inflammation in a large portion of users. In addition, Bankhead stated “ These contraceptives [IUDs] have the highest rates of satisfaction and continuation of all reversible contraceptives. Adolescents are at a high risk of unintended pregnancy and may benefit from increased access to long-acting, reversible contraceptive methods.”

            Dawson and Bankhead explained the importance of contraceptive methods but emphasized the necessity of “long-acting, yet reversible” methods. With birth rates climbing to almost 22 times higher in women who use fast acting contraceptives, long-acting birth control methods are the best option for parents and their teens.