More teens are using long-acting contraception like intrauterine devices and implants instead of taking birth control pills or using condoms, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A decade ago, fewer than 1 percent of teens used long-acting but reversible contraception, known as LARC, but now that’s up to 7 percent, according to CDC data. Colorado teens are the most likely to use long-acting contraception, with more than one-fourth choosing such methods.
The CDC said Tuesday it wants to see that trend continue among young people, as long-acting birth control is more reliable than pills or condoms, which require daily efforts to maintain.
Teen pregnancy is still a problem, although it has been on a significant decline. More than 273,000 babies were born to young people ages 15-19 in 2013, according to the CDC. Of teens who are sexually active, nearly 90 percent used birth control the last time they had sex.
“The good news is that teens are taking responsibility for their reproductive health needs,” said Lisa Romero, a health scientist in CDC’s Division of Reproductive Health. “But we also know that teens using birth control do not often choose intrauterine devices and implants — the most effective types of birth control.”
The CDC has been studying the use of long-acting birth control among teens using 2005-13 data from the Title X National Family Planning Program, a federally-funded grant program.
