ABSTRACT
Contraception is a crucially important adolescent health issue. Despite slight decreases in adolescent pregnancy rates and decreases in the age of first intercourse across North America, a significant proportion of adolescents are sexually active. Fortunately, there are a variety of safe contraceptive methods available that have noncontraceptive benefits as well. Barrier methods include the male condom, the diaphragm, diverse cervical caps and shields, the sponge, and the female condom. Hormonal methods include the combined oral contraceptive pill, transdermal patch, vaginal ring, depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, and the progestin-only pill. Two types of intrauterine contraceptives are available, including the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system and the copper intrauterine device. Implantable hormonal contraception includes an etonorgestrel-releasing implant. Emergency contraception is an important option that adolescents should be aware of. Emergency contraceptive methods include the emergency contraceptive pill (Yuzpe, levonorgestrel, and ulipristal acetate) and insertion of the copper intrauterine device.
