Use of Plan B “morning after” pills doubles, teen sex rates decline in CDC survey

The share of American ladies who say they’ve ever used emergency contraception after having intercourse has greater than doubled for the reason that so-called “morning after” or Plan B model capsules had been accepted to be bought and not using a prescription, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention reported Thursday. 

The rise is amongst dozens of developments tracked in two studies now launched from the CDC’s Nationwide Survey of Household Progress, inspecting survey outcomes by way of 2019 on intercourse and contraception amongst teenagers in addition to all ladies ages 15 to 44 years previous. 

Amongst teenagers and grownup ladies who’ve had intercourse, 26.6% informed CDC’s survey by way of 2019 that they’ve ever turned to the emergency contraception capsules, up from 10.8% in a earlier spherical of the survey from 2006 by way of 2010. 

Amongst feminine teenagers who’ve had intercourse, 22.3% stated that they had ever used emergency contraception, up from 13.7% by way of 2010.

Whereas emergency contraception capsules have been accepted by the Meals and Drug Administration since 1998, the primary choices to purchase them over-the-counter with out going by way of a health care provider weren’t greenlighted by the company till 2006. 

One other sort of emergency contraception can also be obtainable that depends on having a medical supplier insert an intrauterine gadget, or IUD, inside 5 days after intercourse. Although much less handy than the over-the-counter capsules, the CDC says that possibility is taken into account “extremely efficient.”

Emergency contraception stays much less frequent than different types of contraception. 

Probably the most generally reported strategy stays utilizing a condom with a associate, at 94.5%, and 79.8% of girls stated that they had used contraception capsules.

Fewer teenagers say they’ve had intercourse

The CDC’s survey discovered that 38.7% of male teenagers say they’ve ever had intercourse. That’s down from the findings by way of 2010, when 41.8% of male teenagers stated that they had ever had intercourse. The speed was lowest amongst White teen males, at 33.1%.

Amongst male teenagers underneath 18 years previous, 23.2% say they’ve had intercourse, whereas the quantity climbs to 60.2% by 19 years previous.

Amongst those that stated that they had not had intercourse, essentially the most generally chosen cause, picked by 35.3% of all male teenagers, was that they “have not discovered the correct particular person but,” adopted by 26.2% who cited their faith or morals for not having had intercourse.

In contrast, the share of feminine teenagers who say they’ve ever had intercourse has inched down by a smaller quantity. About 40.5% say they’ve had intercourse within the newest survey by way of 2019, down from 42.6% by way of 2010.

General, 88.0% of girls ages 15 to 44 years previous say they’ve ever had intercourse, a determine that’s much like the CDC’s earlier findings.

Amongst male teenagers who’ve had intercourse, the share who say they used contraception through the first time that they had intercourse has elevated. 

Condoms stay the most typical methodology utilized by male teenagers throughout their first time having intercourse, climbing from 79.6% by way of 2010 to 84.5% by way of 2019.

Use of IUDs has tripled since 2010

In ladies ages 15 to 44 years previous, the CDC’s survey discovered by way of 2019 that 21.4% of girls had ever relied on IUDs for contraception.

That’s nearly thrice larger than the 7.7% of girls who informed the survey by way of 2010 that that they had relied on this type of long-acting contraception, which is inserted into the uterus by a medical skilled and lasts for years.

A earlier launch of outcomes from the identical survey specializing in present use of contraception had discovered that 10.4% of girls reported that they had long-acting reversible contraceptives, a class which incorporates IUDs in addition to implants that may be positioned into the arm. 

Amongst ladies who had tried however stopped utilizing IUDs, the CDC’s survey discovered 32.8% cited dissatisfaction with the gadget — not another excuse, like deciding to attempt to have a child — for why that they had it eliminated. 

Negative effects from IUDs had been among the many commonest causes cited by 64.4% of girls who stopped utilizing them. Whereas IUDs rank as probably the most efficient strategies of reversible contraception, sorts of IUDs that use copper may cause cramps and heavier durations. Other forms of IUDs that use progestin, a hormone additionally utilized in contraception capsules, can generally result in belly ache. 

Each sorts of IUDs additionally carry some much less frequent dangers, the FDA says, together with the potential for a barely larger danger of a sexually transmitted an infection often called pelvic inflammatory illness within the preliminary three weeks after they’re inserted.