Birth Control Considerations for Teenagers

Teen pregnancy is one of the most difficult experience amidst a young person's life. It can interrupt school or other plans in their young lives. It can create an emotional crisis resulting in feelings of depression, shame and fear. The stress of how a teenager go through to break this news to her parents might be even greater, and finding help may seem an impossible task.

There are researches that indicate that sex education and access to effective contraception are essential in preventing unplanned pregnancy in the teenage population. Some teenage pregnancies occur as a result of young women's sexual inexperience and an inadequate understanding of their reproductive cycle. Th research suggests that knowledge about reproductive matters and access to contraception are necessary to prevent unintended adolescent pregnancy.

According to another research, it has shown that the number of births to teenagers has decreased considerably over the last few decades. This decrease is most likely due to the increased availability of abortion and birth control, rather than a decrease in sexual activity. There has been an increase in abstinence and the use birth control methods among teens in the late 90s, although this does not attribute the changes to sex education alone. With so many methods available and so many factors to consider, choosing birth control can be difficult. Teenagers now have a lot of options and making a choice can be a bit difficult, if not outright confusing. The key is to carefully check available product literature and sources of information about birth control methods. Making an informed decision is the consumer's responsibility before using a birth control product or whatever product there is.

One of the first considerations a teenager might wish to have is whether she wants a permanent or temporary birth control. This is a decision that will affect the rest of her life and can be made only after thinking it through carefully. If a teenager knows that she will not ever want to conceive or get pregnant, tubal ligation or tubal implants may be the appropriate method to use. An unplanned pregnancy would seriously impact a teenager's plans for the future and thus, choosing a birth control method that is highly effective is a must.

Some people argue that sexual abstinence is not a true form of birth control. But, birth control is any act, drug, or device that is intended to prevent pregnancy. This means that choosing to abstain is really a contraceptive. Among teens, abstinence is the most popular method of birth control. Among people aged 15-19, fewer than half have ever had sex. Over one in ten women of reproductive age have never had sex at all.

If a teenager has health problems or other risk factors, some birth control methods may not be right for them. Other health problems that might keep one from using a particular birth control method are relatively rare, especially in young women. However, before using any method, it is definitely important for a teenager to seek and talk with a health professional.