Gynecology & Obstetrics
Open Access

Abstract

Contraception Adherence among East Harlem Adolescents

Camille A Clare and Candice Fraser

Objectives: To determine the contraception adherence among an adolescent population of an inner city hospital.

Methods: In this retrospective, IRB approved study, the medical records of 100 de-identified patients presenting to Metropolitan Hospital for gynecologic and reproductive health care from January 2007 to December 2011 were evaluated. Data collected included race, age, gravidity and parity on presentation to the clinic, education level, method of payment, contraception methods utilized, obstetrical history and the side effects of the contraceptive method of choice. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software.

Results: Younger age was significantly associated with the use of multiple contraceptive methods (p=0.003). The use of multiple contraceptive methods was associated with a higher pregnancy rate (p=0.008). There was not a significant difference in the number of pregnancies between oral contraceptive users and Depot Medroxy Progesterone Acetate (DMPA) users (p=0.157). None of the patients who used the Intrauterine Device (IUD) as contraception became pregnant during the study period.

Conclusions: Younger adolescents were found to be at greater risk for poor compliance with contraception, and as a result, had a higher number of new pregnancies than older adolescents. Prior studies have demonstrated that long acting reversible contraceptive methods are most effective for adolescents; however, nulligravid adolescents are often not prescribed these methods. Despite the limitations of a small sample size and retrospective review, this is a background for future research, and is representative of the patients of an inner city population.