{"id":20012,"date":"2024-03-21T13:11:52","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T18:11:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/?p=20012"},"modified":"2024-05-07T11:17:10","modified_gmt":"2024-05-07T16:17:10","slug":"pourquoi-les-adolescents-utilisent-ils-des-larcs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/naturalwomanhood.org\/fr\/why-are-teens-using-larcs\/","title":{"rendered":"Pourquoi les adolescents sont-ils plus nombreux que jamais \u00e0 utiliser les LARC ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The final line of the worldwide hit The Barbie Movie<\/em> is Barbie exclaiming \u201cI\u2019m here to see my gynecologist!\u201d A trip to her OB\/GYN is her first big task after (spoiler alert!) leaving her life in Barbieland behind to embrace the real world as an adult woman. Was this the writers\u2019 humorous clarification that Barbie was definitely a human, and no longer a toy? While I can\u2019t be sure what the intention was behind this line, to me, it sounded like the message sent to many teens by the culture, and even by their parents and doctors: contraception is a key step to becoming a woman. And increasingly, teens are using LARCs, long-acting reversible contraceptives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are LARCs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

LARCs include intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the arm implant. Examples include<\/a> Paragard, a copper IUD that lasts up to ten years; hormonal IUDs that work by releasing progestin for 3-7 years; and Nexplanon, which is inserted into the arm and releases progestin for up to 3 years. Unlike the Pill, which needs to be taken by the patient at the same time each day, LARCs require no action by the patient after their insertion. This is why they are often billed as \u201cset it and forget it\u201d forms of birth control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why are long-acting reversible contraceptives encouraged for teens?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While rates of teen sexual activity and teen pregnancy greatly declined<\/a> over the past three decades, the CDC<\/a> still reports the US teen pregnancy rate to be higher than in other industrialized nations. Some health care providers believe they have a moral duty to make sure their teen patients are on contraception to further curb rates of unintended pregnancy. Under this goal of pregnancy prevention, LARCs hold great appeal for doctors who serve teens. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reasons doctors encourage LARCs for teens<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For one, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists<\/a> (ACOG) lauds the high efficacy and continuation rates that LARCs offer [4]. Another benefit is that LARCs are not subject to user error since they are inserted or implanted in the body by a medical professional (this does not mean there cannot be insertion error<\/a>, though). Nor are LARC users subject to missed doses, improper storage (too hot, cold or humid), or poor absorption due to digestive problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

LARCs also last a long time. Even at the lower end of the range, a contraceptive effect for three years would carry a senior in high school well into young adulthood, when pregnancy is much more common than in adolescence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why some parents want their teens to use LARCs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

But it\u2019s not just physicians. Many parents also want their teens to use IUDs. When I taught sex education<\/a> to high school students, the teens invariably told me that their parents had told them nothing about sex or even dating in general. For too many parents, the idea of their children someday having sex is awkward, uncomfortable, or may bring up memories of their own past mistakes or painful experiences. It can be tempting for parents to look to LARCs as a way to prevent their teen from becoming pregnant without needing to have any difficult or uncomfortable conversations with them about sex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the risks of LARC use in teens especially?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A quick internet search into \u201care IUDs safe?\u201d will be answered with a resounding \u201cyes!\u201d However, while major medical organizations are quick to sidestep concerns, individuals who have been harmed by LARCs strive to raise awareness about dangerous potential side effects such as severe anxiety<\/a>, depression<\/a>, symptoms of copper toxicity<\/a> (specific to the copper IUD), and implant migration<\/a> (which can happen with both IUDs and <\/em>the Nexplanon). Besides these side effects, the pregnancy prevention rate of LARCs may not be as high<\/a> as many companies claim. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional concerns with teen LARC use include: <\/p>\n\n\n\n