Better contraceptive use rather than less sex is driving the decline in teen pregnancy rates, according to a new analysis released Tuesday by the Guttmacher Institute.
When researchers studied why risk for teen pregnancy declined 28 percent between 2007-12, they found that adolescent sexual activity didn’t change significantly, while use of and more effective methods of birth control increased.
If sexual activity were the only factor taken into account during that period, the risk of pregnancy among teens would have increased by 6 percent, the researchers found. Instead, use of contraception increased so much that it not only drove down the pregnancy rate, but also compensated for the increased sexual activity.
“There was no significant change in adolescent sexual activity during this time period,” lead author Laura Lindberg said. “Rather, our new data suggest that recent declines in teens’ risk of pregnancy — and in their pregnancy rates — are driven by increased contraceptive use.”
The reseachers used government data from the National Survey of Family Growth to estimate pregnancy risk for teen women, which takes into account level of sexual activity and changes in level of contraceptive risk.
The teen pregnancy rate has declined significantly across the U.S. and in all 50 states and among all racial and ethnic groups, leading to questions of what is driving the decline.
“Teens’ increased use of contraceptives indicates their increased commitment to protecting themselves from risk,” said Heather Boonstra, director of public policy for Guttmacher, which supports abortion rights.
“Policy discussions should focus on supporting teen contraceptive use generally, including ensuring access to a full range of contraceptive education, counseling and methods.”
