Contraceptive Technology Update – March 1, 2024

Policy Changes Helped Increase LARC Use

National health statistics and new research point to increased interest in and use of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC). One in four women reported using LARC, according to the 2015-2019 National Survey of Family Growth.

The Pandemic Did Not Affect Single-Visit LARC Insertion

Adolescents who used public insurance and were seeing a non-OB/GYN provider had lower odds of a single-visit placement of long-acting reversible contraception, new research shows.

Health Department Increases IUD Provision at Clinics

Alabama has one of the highest proportions of pregnant people who do not want to be pregnant, many of whom are low-income and live in contraceptive deserts. A new study revealed that a public health commitment to providing intrauterine devices at Title X clinics helped increase access to long-acting reversible contraception across the state.

Confidential Contraception for Minors Is Harder to Obtain than Ever

About half of U.S. states do not allow minors to obtain contraception without parental approval. For adolescents and teens younger than age 18 years, their only confidential option is to visit a Title X clinic, where a federal ruling from decades ago gives them a right to contraception and privacy. But how does this work in practice? Researchers say that it does not work very well — and it is only getting worse.

Mental Health Screening Needed for Optimal Contraceptive Counseling

Mental health conditions are common among people of reproductive age. Still, both physicians and patients may have misconceptions about using hormonal contraception if patients are diagnosed with depression or other mental health issues. New research suggests that barriers to effective contraceptive use should be addressed, and clinicians need to dispel myths about the negative psychiatric impacts of hormonal contraceptives.

New Study Shows Oral Contraceptives Decrease Risk of Hypothyroidism

When researchers decided to explore the link between hormonal birth control and the risk of hypothyroidism, they made a surprising discovery: Contrary to earlier evidence, hormonal contraception decreases the risk of developing hypothyroidism.

Best Practices Needed in Screening and Treating Chlamydia

Chlamydia infection affects more than 1.7 million people each year, making it the most common bacterial STI. Using a screening tool and checklist, a family planning clinic found success in improving the chlamydia screening rate, identifying more cases of the STI, and making patient visits more efficient by reducing time spent on visits.

National Screening Guidelines for Chlamydia

Reproductive and sexual health providers could reference evidence-based national guidelines for chlamydia screening and care, including guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Improve Screening and Retesting for Trichomoniasis

Infection by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted infection, with an estimated 6.8 million cases in the United States annually. It can go undiagnosed because most infected people (up to three out of four) do not experience symptoms. Left undiagnosed and untreated, trichomoniasis can increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility, and acquiring HIV and other STIs.