Purpose: To investigate the influence of sexual activity and contraceptive use on the decline in adolescent birth rates and pregnancy rates since 2007.
Methods: We estimated trends in pregnancy risk from 2007 to 2014 using national data on behaviors of women aged 15-19.
Results: In 2007-2014, increases occurred in use of one or more contraceptive methods at last sex (78%-88%), dual method use (24%-33%), long-acting reversible contraception including intrauterine device and implant (1%-7%), withdrawal (15%-26%), and withdrawal in combination with other methods (7%-17%). Pill use rose and then fell over time. Level of sexual activity did not change over time. The decline in pregnancy risk among women aged 15-19 was entirely attributable to improvements in contraceptive use.
Conclusions: Improvements in contraceptive use-including increases in use of long-acting reversible contraception and withdrawal in combination with another method-appear to be driving recent declines in adolescent birth and pregnancy rates.
Keywords: Abstinence; Adolescent pregnancy; Birthrate; Contraception; Sexual behaviors.
Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.