CDC Says IUDs, Implant Best For Birth Control

More teens today are using long-acting, reversible contraceptives than did 10 years ago, but the percentage is still too small for the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which recently said that this was the most effective form of birth control.

About 7 percent of teens use this form of birth control today, up from 1 percent in 2005.

There are several forms of LARCs, including both non-hormonal and hormonal intrauterine devices and an implant that can be placed under the skin near the elbow that steadily releases the hormone progestin into the body. These are all highly-effective methods of birth control with the chance of pregnancy being less than 1 percent, according to the CDC.

“As a class, the long-acting reversible contraceptives are the absolute best contraceptive to prevent pregnancy,” said Jill Rabin, MD, co-chief of ambulatory care at LIJ Medical Center in New Hyde Park. “The hormonal intrauterine devices and the implant give you a steady stream of hormones, so you never have that dip in hormone levels.”

Another reason these devices are so effective is because they don’t rely upon a person remembering to take a pill every day.

Dr. Rabin encourages women who have IUDs and are not in a monogamous relationship to use either or both male and female condoms as well to protect against sexually transmitted infections.

Dr. Rabin also cited several studies that showed usage of LARCs does not increase someone’s promiscuity or sexual activity.

Women using IUDs who experience any bleeding or abdominal pain should call a physician. These are potentially signs of an ectopic pregnancy, or a pregnancy that does not occur in the uterus.

Women who would like to become pregnant after using an IUD can have the device removed and, depending on the type of IUD, can begin ovulating in as soon as a week, Dr. Rabin said.

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