Pd. Darney et al., Condom practices of urban teens using Norplant contraceptive implants, oral contraceptives, and condoms for contraception, AM J OBST G, 180(4), 1999, pp. 929-935
OBJECTIVES: The availability of long-acting hormonal birth control methods
has created new contraceptive options for adolescents. The purpose of this
study was to determine whether teens initiating these methods use condoms l
ess frequently than teens using oral contraceptive pills or condoms alone a
nd may therefore be at an increased risk of acquiring sexually transmitted
infections.
STUDY DESIGN: To investigate ongoing condom behavior in teens using levonor
gestrel (Norplant) contraceptive implants, oral contraceptives, and condoms
alone, we examined data from a 2-year prospective cohort study of 399 urba
n teens, The study consisted of 3 clinic-based cohorts of adolescent female
contraceptive users: Norplant contraceptive implants (n = 200), oral contr
aceptives (n = 100), and condoms alone (n = 99). Data were collected at an
admission interview and at 1- and 2-year follow-up from method continuers.
RESULTS: Norplant contraceptive implant users were less likely than oral co
ntraceptive or condom users to report condom use at last sex or consistent
condom use at 1- and 2-year follow-up. The implant group showed a significa
nt decrease in condom use from admission to 2 years after method initiation
. The proportion of implant users self-reporting new sexually transmitted i
nfections at 2-year follow-up, however, was not significantly greater than
that of oral contraceptive or condom users.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that teen users of Norplant contraceptiv
e implants are less likely to use condoms than teens who choose oral contra
ceptives but, probably because of differences in sexual behavior, are no mo
re likely to self-report sexually transmitted infections. Our findings also
indicate that teens who choose oral contraceptives and condoms do not use
them consistently enough to avoid pregnancies or sexually transmitted infec
tions.