Contraceptive Methods and Pregnancy Risk in Teen Girls
Author Information
Author(s): Alison Parkes, Daniel Wight, Marion Henderson, Judith Stephenson, Vicki Strange
Primary Institution: Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow
Hypothesis
Are young teenage girls more likely to avoid pregnancy by using oral contraception compared to condoms?
Conclusion
Teenage girls using oral contraception at first intercourse are more likely to become pregnant than those using condoms only.
Supporting Evidence
- 54% of girls reported using condoms only at first intercourse.
- One in 10 girls reported a pregnancy by follow-up.
- Girls using OC only had over twice the risk of pregnancy compared to those using condoms only.
Takeaway
This study found that girls who used the pill for birth control were more likely to get pregnant than those who used condoms.
Methodology
Logistic regression was used to model the association of contraceptive method at first intercourse with pregnancy.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in self-reported contraceptive use and social acceptability in reporting methods.
Limitations
The study cannot predict pregnancy based on OC-only use at most recent intercourse due to lack of timing information.
Participant Demographics
Participants were 16-year-old girls from 51 secondary schools in the UK.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.07
Confidence Interval
95% CI 2.12–4.15 for no effective method; 95% CI 1.29–4.60 for OC only.
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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