Key findings from this study reveal:
- Many teens use contraception inconsistently. In fact, in 4 out of 10 relationships, teens inconsistently used contraception or never used any birth control at all.
- Teenagers’ contraceptive consistency varies across their sexual relationships.
- Teens continue habits from previous relationships. Those who consistently used birth control in a previous relationship are more likely to do so in a current one. This implies that teens may learn from their relationship experiences.
- Female teens who chose sexual partners who were more similar to themselves, particularly in age, had higher odds of always using contraceptives.
- Teens involved in romantic relationships were more likely to use birth control at least once but were less likely to use it consistently (perhaps, the researchers argue, because they may regard a pregnancy more favorably).
- Teens who are older when they first have sex are more likely to use contraception but were less likely to use it every time that they had sex.
- Teens who view their relationships as "romantic" and who spend more time with their partners in dating activities are more likely to use birth control, suggesting that being involved in a more serious relationship may be beneficial as teens may feel more comfortable negotiating (and thus using) contraception with romantic partners as opposed to casual partners.
- Female teens who discuss contraception with their partners before sex are twice as likely to practice safe sex. In fact, 62% of female teens and 51% of male teens who discussed birth control with their partners before having sex for the first time reported always using contraception.
- Teens who engage in a high number of relationships are less likely to consistently use contraceptives in these relationships than teens who have fewer relationships.
- Female adolescents who are using hormonal contraceptives, such as birth control pills, Depo Provera, NuvaRing and the Ortho Evra Patch showed a higher level of contraceptive consistency. Also, female teens who used a hormonal method in a previous sexual relationship were 74% more likely than female teens who used other birth control methods or no method to consistently use contraception in their subsequent relationship.
That's why it is vital that pregnancy prevention programs pay more attention to the importance of partners and relationships in teenagers’ sexual decision making. In fact, birth control advocacy programs should consider integrating the multiple dimensions of sexual relationships into role-playing exercises to help teens learn how to negotiate contraceptive use with their partners. Programs that only concentrate on individual factors (such as family and individual characteristics) may overlook critical dimensions of teen relationships that significantly influence reproductive health. The authors conclude by emphasizing that teenagers who have experience practicing how to say no to unprotected sex and have the skills for negotiating contraceptive use in different relationships and with various types of sexual partners may be better equipped to protect themselves against unintended pregnancy and/or STDs.
Sources:
Manlove, J., Ryan, S., & Franzetta, K. (2007). Contraceptive Use Patterns Across Teens’ Sexual Relationships: The Role of Relationships, Partners, and Sexual Histories. Demography, 44(3), 603-621. Accessed through private subscription 5/5/08.
Holcombe, E., Carrier, D., Manlove, J., & Ryan, S. (2008). Fact Sheet: Contraceptive Use Patterns Across Teens’ Sexual Relationships. Accessed 5/5/08.
Ford, K., Sohn, W., & Lepkowski, J. (2001). Characteristics of Adolescents' Sexual Partners and Their Association with Use of Condoms and Other Contraceptive Methods. Family Planning Perspectives 33(3), 100-105. Accessed through private subscription 5/5/08.
