Contraceptive use patterns across teens' sexual relationships

Although teen pregnancy and birth rates in the United States have been declining over the past decade teenagers still have high rates of unintended pregnancy and STIs. Among sexually experienced teens unintended pregnancies are the result of either contraceptive non-use or contraceptive failure. However minimal national-level research has assessed factors associated with contraceptive consistency within sexual relationships. Understanding patterns of contraceptive use among teens will help policymakers to develop strategies for preventing unintended pregnancies and STIs. Our project examines contraceptive use patterns across all sexual relationships teens report. Our primary goal is to enhance our understanding of the factors that influence teens choices regarding contraceptive use or non-use so that teens can become more consistent contraceptive users. Our specific research questions are: 1) What are the patterns of partner and relationship characteristics and contraceptive use and consistency across teens sexual relationships?; and 2) What characteristics of teens current and previous sexual relationships and partners are associated with contraceptive use and consistency across teens relationships? We answer these questions using a nationally representative longitudinal sample of adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. (excerpt)