Teenage female use of long acting reversible contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices or a subdermal implants are now being recommended by the 62,000-member American Academy of Pediatrics.
In a statement issued Sept. 29, the group, which the statement said comprises “primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical sub-specialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults,” has seen an emergence of new contraceptive products as well as the evolution of pediatric professions into more than simply providers of medical treatment to youth.
The AAP, continued the statement, found at the organization’s Website, “recognizes the pediatrician’s role as a trusted advisor and source of sexual health information, and supports adolescents and their families to discuss and ask questions about sensitive issues such as sexual health and relationships.”
A pediatrician following the AAP’s standing recommendations is “expected to conduct a developmentally-targeted sexual history of his or her patient, assess risk for sexually transmitted infections, and provide appropriate screening and/or education about safe and effective contraceptive methods…regardless of which method of contraception is chosen, pediatricians should stress that all methods of hormonal birth control are safer than pregnancy, allow adolescents to consent to contraceptive care, and become familiar with state and federal laws regarding disclosure of confidential information in minors.”
Medical innovations over the last decade have “demonstrated that LARCs, which provide 3 to 10 years of contraception, are safe for adolescents. Pediatricians should be familiar with [counseling], insertion, and /or referral for LARCs,” the AAP statement said.
The group asserted it’s is important for pediatricians to regularly update patients’ sexual histories and allow sufficient time for follow-up appointments when needed. Pediatricians are also encouraged to promote healthy sexual health decision-making, such as abstinence and proper condom use.
The AAP said its latest stance on introducing IUDs and under-the-skin implants to adolescents was a result of its ongoing effort to “review and update its recommendations on contraceptive methods to provide pediatricians with the information they need in order to counsel and prescribe contraception for adolescents.”
The AAP’s updated policy statement and accompanying technical report, “Contraception for Adolescents,” have been published online in the October 2014 issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Additional updates to the policy statement focus on patients with special health care needs, including physical or developmental disabilities, medically complex illness, and obesity.
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