Contraceptive Care for Adolescents

Adolescents have a high rate of unintended pregnancy: 82% of pregnancies for women aged 15 to 19 years are unintended. The large majority of sexually active adolescent women are using some method of contraception, but few are using long-acting highly effective methods, that is, intrauterine devices and implants. Most adolescent women are relying on oral contraceptive pills and/or condoms as their most effective method, with the third most common method being depot medroxyprogesterone acetate. None of the long-acting highly effective methods are contraindicated in adolescents, and they should be considered for use and offered to young women as contraceptive options.