Vermonters have intended pregnancies. and 1 more... less...
Vermonters are Healthy
% of adolescents in grades 9-12 who used most or moderately effective contraception at most recent intercourse
Current Value
56%
Definition
Story Behind the Curve
Updated February 2023
Author: Division of Maternal and Child Health, Vermont Department of Health
The US teen birth rate (births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 years) has been declining since 1991. Teen birth rates continued to decline from 17.4 per 1,000 females in 2018 to 16.7 per 1,000 females in 2019. This is another record low for US teens and a decrease of 4% from 2018. Birth rates fell 7% for females aged 15 to 17 years and 4% for females aged 18 to 19 years.
Although reasons for the declines are not totally clear, evidence suggests these declines are due to more teens abstaining from sexual activity, and more teens who are sexually active using birth control than in previous years, especially most or moderately effective contraceptive methods.
Still, the US teen birth rate is substantially higher than in other western industrialized nations, and racial/ethnic and geographic disparities in teen birth rates persist.
Source: CDC Teen Pregnancy Information
Major professional societies, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have endorsed Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARC) as a first-line contraceptive choice for teens.
Health care providers can:
- Be prepared to discuss the sexual and reproductive health needs of their patients.
- Recognize LARC as a safe and effective choice of birth control for teens.
- Offer a broad range of birth control options to teens, including LARC, and discuss the pros and cons of each.
- Seek training in LARC insertion and removal, have supplies of LARC available, and explore funding options to cover costs.
- Remind teens that LARC by itself does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases and that condoms should also be used every time they have sex.
Why Is This Important?
This indicator is part of Healthy Vermonters 2020 (which documents the health status of Vermonters at the start of the decade and the population health indicators and goals that will guide the work of public health through 2020.
What Works
- Evidence based teen pregnancy prevention programs
- Access to youth friendly health services
- Adolescent friendly reproductive health visits
- Evidence based clinical practices for adolescent sexual and reproductive health services
- Pediatricians play an important role in adolescent pregnancy prevention and contraception
- Comprehensive Sex Education-comprehensive sex education programs show that these programs can help youth delay onset of sexual activity, reduce the frequency of sexual activity, reduce number of sexual partners, and increase condom and contraceptive use. Importantly, the evidence shows youth who receive comprehensive sex education are not more likely to become sexually active, increase sexual activity, or experience negative sexual health outcomes
- Supporting parents and guradians to talk to adolescents about healthy choices and sex
Strategy
- Continue to work with schools and community based youth serving organizations to promote evidence based teen pregnancy prevention programs, which includes discussing the full range of contraceptive methods
- Continue to work with health care providers to promote adolescent friendly health services broadly, and sexual and reproductive health services specifically
- Continue to disseminate information to health care providers and community organizations on the latest best practice recommendations related to adolescent and sexual and reproductive health
- Continue to work with partners to ensure that youth have access to comprehensive sex education
- Continue to work with partners to ensure that youth have access to comprehensive and confidential sexual and reproductive health services
Notes on Methodology
| This indicator is based on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) conducted every other year with high schools students and is calculated from 2 questions (1) currently sexually active (yes to intercourse during the past 3 months) and (2) the method used to prevent pregnancy during last sexual intercourse. It is the percent of students who have had sexual intercourse during the past 3 months AND who used prescription birth control including birth control pills, an IUD or implant (such as Nexplanon), or a shot (such as Depo-Provera), patch (such as Ortho Evra), or birth control ring (such as NuvaRing). During the past 3 months, with how many people did you have sexual intercourse? A. I have never had sexual intercourse B. I have had sexual intercourse, but not during the past 3 months C. 1 person D. 2 people E. 3 people F. 4 people G. 5 people H. 6 or more people Last time you had sexual intercourse, what one method did you or your partner use to prevent pregnancy? (Select only one response.) A. I have never had sexual intercourse B. No method was used to prevent pregnancy C. Birth control pills D. Condoms E. An IUD (such as Mirena or ParaGard) or implant (such as Nexplanon) F. A shot (such as Depo-Provera), patch (such as Ortho Evra), or birth control ring (such as NuvaRing) G. Withdrawal or some other method |
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