(hell, yeah) Scarleteen

Teenage girls may prefer the pill, the patch or even wishful thinking, but their doctors should be recommending IUDs or hormonal implants — long-lasting and more effective birth control that you don’t have to remember to use every time, the nation’s leading gynecologists group said Thursday.

The IUD and implants are safe and nearly 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, and should be “first-line recommendations,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said in updating its guidance for teens.

Read the rest at the Washington Post here.

This is a fantastic sea change: we’re so excited to see the ACOG recommend this. For so long, goof-proof, long-acting contraceptives we know are the most reliable at preventing pregnancy have effectively been kept from young people, with the first-choice recommendation — usually the pill — a method that in studies, has been shown to be far less effective for teens than older people, especially after the first few months of use, primarily because it’s just awfully easy to mess up.

While plenty of doctors have finally let go of the notion that nulliparity (not having been pregnant before) presents an issue with IUDS, some still won’t advise them for younger people due to STI concerns, as mentioned in this article. 

If you find yourself in that situation, ask your doctor to look up the current data.  The scoop on that as of the last few years is that for around just the first three weeks after IUD insertion, contracting an STI is indeed something that could cause serious health concerns.  However, a person can reduce those risks by simply using condoms for that time period, or abstaining from sex altogether. You can let your healthcare provider know that either of those is what you intend to do to limit or eliminate those risks.

(Of course, we think using condoms regularly, for people of any age, is a good idea since STIs are always a possible issue.)

Also, of course: there’s no one best method for any group of people, despite the title of this article.  What method is best for anyone is very individual.  So, ideally, a healthcare provider should tell you about ALL your options, and have a discussion with you, about you, to help figure out which one is best for you. If they’re not doing that?  Consider switching to a clinic or practice that’s specifically focused on sexual and reproductive health.