Teen Contraception Usage

Contraception is important for preventing unplanned pregnancy, protecting against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and ensuring safe sex practices among adolescents. The benefits of contraception are especially relevant for Oklahoma, which has some of the highest teen birth and STI rates in the nation (See Teen Birth Rate and STI Incidence in Adolescents). 

Though most women will use contraception at some point in their lifetime, many use it for reasons other than just preventing pregnancy. Hormonal contraception has benefits such as regulating women’s menstrual cycle, managing symptoms of PMS and endometriosis, and even clearing up hormone-driven acne.

Experiences and preferences when it comes to contraception differ among women. One’s preferred method of birth control can be dependent on age or lifestyle. That said, condoms are the only form of contraception that fully protects against STIs, making them an increasingly important form of birth control. Using two methods of contraception together (called “dual contraceptive use”) – such as taking birth control pills while also using a condom during intercourse – is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of unplanned pregnancy. 

Contraception’s role in protecting against STIs and unplanned pregnancy is especially important for young women. Teen pregnancies have adverse short- and long-term effects on mother and child: young women with unplanned pregnancies face barriers that hinder their educational and career opportunities, leading to greater risk for poverty. Additionally, STIs can lead to serious physical health complications and poor mental health in youth, having lifelong impacts.

The ability of minors to access contraception without parental consent has been contentious for decades. In Oklahoma, teens cannot access many methods of contraception without a prescription or parental consent, except in limited circumstances. Minors are, however, permitted to purchase condoms, emergency contraceptive pills (commonly known as “Plan B”), and access STI testing or treatment. A notable exception to the prescription birth control pill requirement is Opill, the first FDA-approved, progestin-only birth control pill available over the counter in the U.S. Since 2023, it has significantly helped break down barriers to contraception among adolescents.

All teens deserve access to birth control and barrier methods, regardless of their financial or family circumstances. Title X (“Title Ten”) is a federal grant program that subsidizes family planning service provision, including contraception, pregnancy testing and counseling, and STI testing and treatment. Title X clinics have been found to provide efficient contraceptives to adolescents at higher rates than clinics who don’t participate in the program, making them vital for providing preventative reproductive care among youth. Research indicates that their services reduce abortions, unintended pregnancies, and unplanned births among all women. 

99% of the services funded by Title X grants in Oklahoma are utilized by females. Many care recipients are young adults or adolescents; in fact, in 2011, 26.3% of all Oklahoma Title X patients were females under 19.