Adolescent contraceptive use: experience in 1,762 teenagers

Abstract

Retrospective analysis was done on 1,762 adolescent family planning patients who used the St. Paul Maternal and Infant Care Project Teen Clinic from 1969 through June 1979. Factors evaluated included method of contraception, demographic data, and continuation rates calculated by Life Table Method. A further comparison was done on 403 of these patients who initiated their family planning care at a project satellite clinic located within a local high school.

PIP: Retrospective analysis was done on 1762 adolescent family planning patients who used the St. Paul Maternal and Infant Project Teen Clinic from 1969 through June 1979 in the attempt to analyze their patterns of contraceptive usage. The contraceptive usage of a subgroup of 403 adolescents who received their initial services and follow-up in a high school clinic was further analyzed and compared to that of the overall group. Factors evaluated included method of contraception, demographic data, and continuation rates calculated by the Life Table Method. The ages of the study population at the time of their 1st visit in the Teen Birth Control Clinic ranged from 12-19 years. 85% were white, 10% black, and the remaining 5% were members of other races. 89.2% were nulliparas, and the remainder had had 1 or more abortions or 1 or more term pregnancies. 58% were already pregnant at the time of the initial visit and were referred for pregnancy counseling. Of these, 9 had an abortion and subsequently returned to the Clinic for contraception. Oral contraceptives (OCs) were the initial method chosen by 86.2% of those adolescents starting contraceptions. 10.3% chose other methods. Of the total study population, 889 patients (50.5%) were released from follow-up as active contraceptors. 381 patients were lost to follow-up. Among the high school group, the distribution of number of users of contraceptives who chose OCs, IUDs, and other methods was similar to that of the overall teen clinic population. Similarly high continuation rates were found in both the overall teen clinic population and the high school subgroup.