Teen Girls' Health

Which Birth Control Methods Are Best for Teens?

Health Care Pros Advised to Help Teens Get IUDs, Implants continued...

The ACOG guidelines note that cost will be a barrier to teens who, to protect their confidentiality, do not want to seek benefits under their parents' health insurance. Other teens' family health insurance may not cover birth control, or they may be uninsured.

"In all of these cases, referral to a publicly funded clinic may be appropriate," the guidelines suggest. "Proposed health care reform methods, including [IUDs and birth-control implants], without co-payments or deductibles for these preventive health services, may ease this burden."

The new ACOG guidelines appear in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.