Ibinola, Daniel: Teens and Contraception

Ibinola, Daniel: Teens and Contraception

All the articles gave statistics on the use of long-acting contraceptive methods in relation to short-acting ones. The articles described how studies and surveys were carried out on, how the parents of teenage girls can influence the use of contraceptive among their children, the use of contraceptives among adolescents and adults, and the factors that influence a parent’s acceptance of contraceptive methods. 

                  Parents play a major role in the administration of contraceptives to their adolescent children. A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health showed that parents of teen girls are more ready to accept their daughters being offered birth control pills and condoms during doctor visits rather than other, more effective and long-acting contraceptive methods. It also discussed how parents' respect for their daughter’s autonomy could make them more open minded to any contraceptive prescribed by a doctor.

                  One study cited said, “261 parents or guardian with a daughter aged 12 to 17 completed a phone survey that determined their attitudes towards different contraceptive methods as well as their parenting beliefs. Birth control pills won greatest acceptance (59 percent). In decreasing order of acceptability were condoms (51 percent), inject able contraceptives (46 percent), emergency contraception, also known as the morning-after pill (45 percent), birth control patches (42 percent), implants (32 percent) and intrauterine devices or IUDs (18 percent).” This signifies that the percentage of parent’s attitude for the use of contraceptive reduces in comparison to the effectiveness of the contraceptive.  

Generally, the articles try to point out that even though long-acting contraceptive are available; there is still an increased rate of STDs and unintended pregnancies among adolescents. This is as a result of the factors that affect the parent’s acceptance of contraceptive methods. Parents feel that the long-acting contraceptives are dangerous and associate this idea with the U .S. historical events around the Dalkon shield. Also, parents might associate long acting contraception, like IUDs, with an ongoing sexual relationship. The author of the article Lauren Hartman, M.D. also encouraged the use of condoms together with long-acting contraceptives so as to check STDs such as HIV. She also admonished parents on the need to understand that the risk of pregnancy outweighs the risk of any contraceptive method, including the IUD.