BSIP / Getty Images
What Doctors Are Suggesting
Every year in the United States, approximately 750,000 teenagers become pregnant, and most of these pregnancies are not planned. Teenagers often report inconsistent use of birth control and are more likely to continue using long-acting contraceptive methods, such as IUD orNexplanon.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), Nexplanon and IUD birth control use can be beneficial for teenagers.
Surveys show that teenagers in the United States know very little about IUDs.
But teenagers who are aware of IUDs and how they work consider the following to be advantages of using them:
Teenagers need to be educated on the high effectiveness of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods like IUD birth control, as well as Nexplanon.
IUD Birth Control Use in Teenagers
ParaGard,Skyla,Kyleena, andMirena—these IUDs are classified under Category 2 of the U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use. This means that the benefits of using these contraceptive methods generally outweigh the risks. IUD use has received a 2 classification because of theriskof expulsion—when the IUD partially or completely slides out of the uterus.
The use of Nexplanon in teenagers has received a classification of Category 1—this means that there is no restriction on the use of the birth control method.
The Benefits of Sexual Education in Schools
What the Research Says
There is currently very little literature about Nexplanon or IUD birth control use in the teenage population. That being said, some studies do exist, and their results are promising.
Maintaining Use
Teenagers are more likely to continue with IUD birth control use than with other methods. Teenagers continue their IUD use at the same rate or even longer than teenagers who usebirth control pills.
The number of teenagers who are still using the IUD at 1 year is high (ranging from 48 percent to 88 percent), and their IUD use slightly decreased over time.
Pregnancy
Pregnancies are also uncommon among teenage IUD birth control users. One study comparing teenage pregnancy rates found that (after 24 months of continuous use), teens using the copper IUD (ParaGard) had reported no pregnancies, while three percent of teenage birth control pill users became pregnant. Another study found that teen pregnancy rates rose from two percent after six months of IUD use to 11 percent at 48 months of being on the IUD.
Device Expulsion
An in-depth review looking into IUD use in teenagers found that expulsion rates ranged widely—from five percent to 22 percent and the available research shows inconsistent results.
Discomfort
One last concern that research has revealed about IUD birth control use in teenagers is pain. Studies have shown that painful or difficultIUD insertionis a major concern for teenagers. Newer IUDs Iike Skyla and Kyleena have smaller insertion tubes, so insertion pain may be less of a concern with these options.
Research has also shown that pain and bleeding are frequent reasons for teenagers to have their ParaGard IUD removed. One study highlighted how more teenage IUD users complained of bleeding issues than did teenage pill users.
Research on Teenage Nexplanon Use Is Sparse
In 2010, a study included 137 teenagers (ages 12–18 years old) who had just given birth. It compared tolerance, continuation, and repeat pregnancy rates in teens who used Implanon (a device that’s similar to Nexplanon),combination birth control pills,Depo Provera, barrier methods (like condoms and spermicide), or nothing.
The researchers concluded that teenagers who decide to use Nexplanon are significantly less likely to become pregnant and were found to stick with this birth control method longer than those who chose the other contraceptive methods.
Implanon users were also more likely to continue using Implanon at 24 months than the teen pill/depo users. Of those teens who had it removed before 24 months of use, 40 percent said that abnormal bleeding was their reason for stopping.
Final Analysis
Even though the literature on Nexplanon andIUDbirth control for teenagers is sparse, available studies do suggest that IUDs such as Mirena, Skyla, Kyleena, and ParaGard, as well as Nexplanon, are practical options for today’s teens. Encouraging teen use of long-acting reversible birth control methods could help decrease the number of unplanned teenage pregnancies. The high number of teens who stick to their Nexplanon and IUD use is promising, and teenagers are more likely to be compliant with these birth control methods.
2 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lewis, L.N., Doherty, D.A., Hickey, M., & Skinner, S.R. “Implanon as a Contraceptive Choice for Teenage Mothers: A Comparison of Contraceptive Choices, Acceptability and Repeat Pregnancy.”Contraception. 2010. 81(5): 421-426.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Practice Bulletin #121 - Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices.“Obstetrics & Gynecology. July 2011. 118(1):184-196.Deans, E.I., & Grimes, D.A. “Intrauterine Devices for Adolescents: A Systematic Review.”Contraception. 2009. 79: 418-423.Lewis, L.N., Doherty, D.A., Hickey, M., & Skinner, S.R. “Implanon as a Contraceptive Choice for Teenage Mothers: A Comparison of Contraceptive Choices, Acceptability and Repeat Pregnancy.”Contraception. 2010. 81(5): 421-426.World Health Organization. “Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use.” 4th ed. Geneva: WHO; 2009.
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. “Practice Bulletin #121 - Long-Acting Reversible Contraception: Implants and Intrauterine Devices.“Obstetrics & Gynecology. July 2011. 118(1):184-196.
Deans, E.I., & Grimes, D.A. “Intrauterine Devices for Adolescents: A Systematic Review.”Contraception. 2009. 79: 418-423.
World Health Organization. “Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use.” 4th ed. Geneva: WHO; 2009.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
