Contraception
According to medical research, in adolescence, unwanted pregnancies have increased and are estimated every year around 84 million worldwide, 33 million of which are due to absence of use of contraceptive methods.
In Greece, according to the Ministry of Health, 4 out of 5 teenagers, who have started their sex life and do not use any contraceptive method, are likely to face an unwanted pregnancy within the first year. Indeed, the numbers of abortions are estimated to 100.000-250.000 every year, while 20% -25% of these abortions are performed on girls under 16 years old.
The contraceptive methods prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases and help to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. There are several methods of contraception:
• Abstinence from sexual activity or intermittent intercourse, i.e. men’s ejaculation outside the vagina
• Male and female condom
• Birth control pills
• Other methods rarely used at your age, such as the IUD.
It is good to remember that the ideal method of contraception needs to be safe, effective, easily tolerated and to have minimal side effects.
At your age, if you exclude abstinence as a method of contraception, intermittent intercourse is the method used commonly by teenagers, but has large failure rates.
The second most common method used is the male condom and has the following advantages:
• It is cheap
• Protects against sexually transmitted diseases and
• When used in the right way, its failure rates reach 2% with perfect use, i.e. when you use it throughout any sexual contact.
Birth control pills are the oldest method of hormonal contraception, as they are used for more than 40 years and their safety has been proven through millions of women. Birth control pills’ success reaches 99 to 99.7% and also provide other benefits. They reduce acne, body hair and improve your period cycle. However, you need to avoid smoking during their use because the risk for cardiovascular disease and venous thromboembolic disease increases. Also, it’s important to know that weight gain, due to the use of contraceptive pills, has not been proven by any study.
Finally, there are the long-term contraceptive methods such as the IUD, which is not so common in our country. Placed in the woman’s uterus for a long time, about 5 years, it protects against unwanted pregnancies but does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Remember that the combination of the male condom and contraceptive pills, is considered the ideal way to avoid an unwanted pregnancy and protect yourself against sexually transmitted diseases.
However, the best and safest way for a teenager to decide the most appropriate contraceptive method is following her gynaecologist’s advice, who surely knows better the specificities of your period.
More information on other matters concerning your body, your health and nutrition can also be read here.
With the collaboration of:Bill Karountzos, Resident Physician Obstetrics - Gynecology, PhD candidate, University of Athens Medical School, Research Associate Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine
Efthimios Deligiorgi, Professor of Obstetrics - Gynecology, Medical School, University of Athens Research Associate Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine
Artemis Tsitsika, Assist. Professor of Pediatrics - Adolescent Medicine
Sci. Program Manager "PREVENTION" Greek Society of Adolescent Medicine
