Contraception Teenagers

What is contraception?

Contraception regroups all the methods allowing to prevent temporarly the fertilization.

What are the different methods of contraception

• birth control pills
• condoms
• intrauterine devices
• morning after pills
• abstinence

Are teenagers sexually active?

Nearly half (46%) of all 15-19-year-olds in the United States have had sex at least once. By age 15, only 13% of teens have ever had sex. However, by the time they reach age 19, seven in 10 teens have engaged in sexual intercourse. Most young people have sex for the first time at about age 17, but do not marry until their middle or late 20s. This means that young adults are at risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for nearly a decade.

What are the chances of getting pregnant if there is no use of contraception?

A sexually active teen who does not use contraceptives has a 90% chance of becoming pregnant within a year.

What contraceptive methods can teenager use?

There are two main types of contraception: barrier methods and hormonal methods. Barrier methods physically prevent sperm from swimming into the uterus and fertilising the woman’s egg. Hormonal methods, on the other hand, alter a woman’s hormonal cycle to prevent fertilisation. Examples: male and female condom, spermicides, contraceptive pill, injectable hormonal contraceptive.

Can they use all the methods?

Generally, some types of contraception such as the intrauterine device (IUD) or intrauterine system (IUS),are usually not recommended for young women who have not had children; natural methods such as only having sex at certain times of the month,are often not effective enough (numbers)  ; and sterilization, which is a permanent surgical procedure. These types of contraception needs lot of reflexion, because by using them people can loose the possibility to have a child. That's why generally, only older women use these types contraceptions.

What are the methods mostly used by teenagers?

The condom is the most common contraceptive method used at first intercourse; it's used by 66% of sexually experienced females and 71% of males. Nearly all sexually active women (98% in 2002) have used at least one method of birth control. The two most common methods used are the condom (used at least once by 94%) and the pill (used at least once by 61%).

When is each method appropriate?

Different methods of contraception have their individual advantages and disadvantages. There’s no single ‘best’ method of contraception, so people have to decide which is most suitable for them. Whatever their situation, there should be a contraception option that works. For many people, barrier methods of contraception are best, because they not only prevent pregnancy, but also prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases being passed on during sex. It depends also on the people's situation with their partner. For example:

• If they are sure to have no STD and are faithful, the couple can take the pill only.
• If it's someone that changes partner often, then he's better use a condom to prevent not only to have a baby, but also from STDs.

Is contraception used efficiently by teenagers?

At most recent sex, 83% of teen girls and 91% of teen boys used contraceptives. These proportions represent a marked improvement since 1995, when only 71% of teen girls and 82% of teen boys had used a contraceptive method at last sex.

What are the risks of getting STDs?

Of the 18.9 million new cases of STDs each year, 9.1 million (48%) occur among 15-24-year-olds:

• Although 15-24-year-olds represent only one-quarter of the sexually active population, they account for nearly half of all new STDs each year.

• Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections account for about half of STDs diagnosed among 15-24-year-olds each year. HPV is extremely common, often asymptomatic and generally harmless. However, certain types, if left undetected and untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.

Who are the people involved?

The doctor, the parents and the teenagers.

What should the doctor do?

If the teenagers ask, then the doctor should talk and try to find the appropriate method for them. We made a little interview at Rousseau and most of the girls we asked prefer not to talk about it with their doctor.

What should the parents do?

• The parents should make their children aware from an early age of the risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV/AIDs.
• They must be well informed about contraception and safe sex.
• They should also let them know who they can talk to if they don’t want to speak with their family.
• The parents should welcome their children's questions and make them feel comfortable speaking about sex and contraception.
• They should talk about the medias and the false images they bring
• Many studies indicate that youth prefer to learn about sexual health from their parents.But it is often uncomfortable to approach their parents, youth often turn to their friends or the media for answers. Unfortunately, much of what they learn is wrong!
• The most important: Parents have to respect their child's privacy, other ways they will never have their trust!

What is the teenager's role?

Most people that have been interviewed said that teenager have to be well informed about sexual practice and be aware about the use of contraception. Most of them prefer to speak with their friends than their parents. In the United States, 60% of teens younger than 18 who use a clinic for sexual health services say their parents know they are there. Among those whose parents do not know, 70% would not use the clinic for prescription contraception if the law required that their parents be notified. One in five teens whose parents do not know they obtain contraceptive services would continue to have sex but would either rely on withdrawal or not use any contraceptives if the law required that their parents be notified of their visit.

References

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_n6_v48/ai_14658185
Helping patients choose appropriate contraception - includes related article on choosing a method of birth control American Family Physician - Find Articles
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contraception
http://www.avert.org/cpills.htm
http://www.teenpregnancy.org/wim/default.asp
http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/family_planning.html
http://www.parentlineplus.org.uk/index.php?id=209
http://askmars.org/parentsintro.php
http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_ATSRH.html
http://www.fda.gov/WOMENS/getthefacts/hpv.html
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