Contraceptive behaviors in adolescents.

A wide range of factors influence adolescents' contraceptive behaviors, from personal characteristics to family context to social support to knowledge about and access to contraception. Improving knowledge about contraception and counseling about successful contraceptive use can be helpful in decreasing the remarkably high US rates of adolescent pregnancy. Encouraging the postponement of sexual activity until an individual adolescent is developmentally capable of participating in a mature, healthy, mutually respectful relationship that incorporates effective contraception clearly is a goal that most clinicians, parents, teachers, and other responsible adults can support. Contraceptive technologies that incorporate delivery systems that are "user-friendly" and long-acting also will help to further lower US adolescent pregnancy rates that, while improving, are currently among the highest in the world.