Long-acting contraceptive devices should be the first choice of birth control for teenage girls, new recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics state.as reported by WebMd.
Although most U.S. teens opt for condoms or birth control pills, two other forms of contraception -- intrauterine devices (IUDs) and contraceptive implants -- are much more reliable, according to the academy, reports WebMd.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 0.2 percent and 0.8 percent of women who use an IUD will have an unplanned pregnancy within a year. The rate is just 0.05 percent with a contraceptive implant, reported WebMd.
With the Pill, about 9 percent of women have an unintended pregnancy each year. Condoms, as people typically use them, are less effective -- with an unplanned pregnancy rate between 18 percent and 21 percent, according to the CDC.
