Contraception in adolescence.

Adolescents, due to the lack of knowledge, experience, and counseling, may confront serious social and health-related problems, such as out-of-wedlock pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The age of the first sexual intercourse has declined recently. Unintended pregnancies often force adolescents into unwanted marriage or limit their opportunities to further education or employment while predisposing them to long-term welfare dependence. To be most effective, sex education programs should be developed through a process of collaboration between families, health care professionals, educators, government officials, and youth themselves. The contraceptive choices during adolescence are the male condom, the use of spermicides, combined oral contraceptives (COCs), the depomedroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), the female condom, the vaginal sponge, implants and patches, male hormonal contraception, and others. Issues of emergency contraception (EC) are also discussed.