Adolescent Development and Contraceptive Use

Did You Know?

Fifty-five percent of high school health education programs taught students the importance of using condoms in addition to other forms of contraception.

Rates of teen pregnancy are higher in the U.S. than in other developed countries.¹ Hormonal methods of birth control (such as the pill) and barrier methods (such as condoms) can reduce the risk of pregnancy,² and condom use with every sexual act can greatly reduce—though not eliminate—the risk of STDs.³ Condom and contraceptive use among adolescents has increased since the 1990s, but many adolescents are inconsistent users: roughly a third of males and nearly half of females reported that they or their partner did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse.⁴

Check out these resources for adolescent contraception and condom use services

• Federally funded Title X family planning clinics offer low-cost STD testing and contraceptive services for all who want and need them. By law, priority is given to persons from low-income families. Adolescents and others can find a Title X funded clinic by zip code with the Office of Population Affairs tool at the bottom of this page.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also has a locator service that helps visitors search for testing centers where they can receive STD and HIV testing services, as well as vaccines for Hepatitis B and HPV.

Learn more about contraception and condom use and adolescents

• Check out OAH’s full library of federal adolescent health resources on reproductive health, in general, and specific to contraceptive and condom use.
• The Office of Populations Affairs has a full list of contraception fact sheets that includes details on the effectiveness, advantages, and drawbacks of different methods.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has helpful information about condoms and how they protect (or don’t) against STDs.
• The CDC also has a series of brochures that provide facts about various STDs, and a fact sheet about adolescents and HIV/AIDS.
• Girlshealth.gov provides resources on frequently asked questions about contraception and condom usage.

Footnotes