BACKGROUND:

Adolescent women have a high risk of unintended pregnancy. Currently, there are little data about their choice to initiate long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).

STUDY DESIGN:

We evaluated the association of age and preference for a LARC vs. a non-LARC method among adolescent participants in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project, comparing those aged 14-17 years to adolescents aged 18-20 years. We then analyzed the association between age and choice of the implant vs. the intrauterine device (IUD) among adolescents.

RESULTS:

Of the 5086 women enrolled, 70% (n=3557) of participants chose a LARC method. Among adolescents aged 14-20 years, 69% of 14-17-year-olds chose LARC, while 61% of 18-20-year-olds chose LARC (relative risk 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.30). Among adolescents choosing a LARC method, 63% (n=93/148) of the 14-17-year-olds chose the implant, whereas 71% (n=364/510) of the 18-20-year-olds chose the IUD.

CONCLUSION:

Long-acting reversible contraception use is clearly acceptable and common among adolescents enrolled in the Contraceptive CHOICE Project, with the younger group being most interested in the implant.

Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.