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Even as pregnancy rates for teens have gone down in re-
cent years, partly because of increased use of contraception,
the number of pregnant teens is not insignificant. The National
Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy says that
nearly three in ten teens will become pregnant by age twenty.
The majority of these pregnancies are unintentional. The Gutt-
macher Institute, which conducts research on teenage sexual
trends, reports that of those teens who do become pregnant,
about 60 percent give birth, 26 percent have abortions, and the
rest miscarry.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception
Because teens often fail to consistently use contraception,
some doctors encourage the use of long-acting reversible
contraception (LARC) methods. The two most common are
intrauterine devices (IUD) and implants. An IUD is a small
device that is inserted into the uterus; the contraceptive im-
plant is a matchstick-sized rod that is inserted under the skin
of the upper arm. Both methods require an office visit with
a doctor. After insertion, both devices continuously work to
prevent pregnancy: the IUD prevents fertilization of an egg,
and the implant prevents ovulation. Protection typically lasts
from three to ten years. In 2011 the American College of Ob-
stetricians and Gynecologists stated that LARC methods are
the most effective form of reversible contraception. Physician
and college member Eve Espey explains that LARC methods
are much less likely to fail than other types of birth control.
She says, “The major advantage is that after insertion, LARCs
work without having to do anything else. There’s no mainte-
nance required.”
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Research shows that the use of LARC methods by teens has
increased in recent years. For instance, the CDC analyzed the
use of this type of contraception among young women aged fif-
teen to nineteen who sought contraception between 2005 and
2013 under the Title X National Family Planning Program. Title X
provides family planning for low-income individuals. The study
