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It was a recommendation by the nation’s most influential pediatrician’s group, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and it took many parents by surprise: Teen girls should use an intrauterine device, or IUD.

“Women who are trying to prevent pregnancy should be offered the most effective methods first,” said
Dr. Gina Sucato with Group Health in Seattle. She is one of the lead authors of the recommendation.

“I think what we’re trying to address is the fact that for a long time, there was some reluctance to offer these most-effective methods to teenagers as first line options, as well as adult women,” Sucato said. “That’s really what we’re trying to get across.”

But before parents start panicking, she said the Academy still emphasizes abstinence as the only method that is 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.

If a teen girl is going to be sexually active though, she said the IUD is much more effective than condoms and birth control in preventing unwanted pregnancies because it takes out the ‘oops’ factor.

“This is really the first line recommendation for women of all ages. (It’s) the most effective, most sustained method of birth control that requires the least effort to use 100 percent, as recommended,” said Sucato.

That’s because once an IUD is in place, they usually work for three to ten years.

IUDs are small, T-shaped devices containing hormones or copper that are inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. Dr. Sucato said they got a bad rap in the 1970s because of problems caused by a specific IUD, the Dalkon Shield.

“Unfortunately, (there was) a lot of bad press about the Dalkon Shield, which was a very specific IUD, which had a very specific and unique component to it. That was then generalized to all IUDs,” she explained.

Sukato said today’s IUDs are 99 percent effective, compared to 91 percent effectiveness for condoms, and they’re safe to use.

“There are rare events that can occur with the use of IUDs. But in general with uncomplicated IUDs there really aren’t long term consequences for fertility,” she said.

The Academy now says that more than 80 percent of the 750,000 teen pregnancies in the U.S. each year are unplanned.

The group still encourages teens to delay having sex until they’re ready but since many teens ignore that advice, they want to make sure that pediatricians offer the best guidance when it comes to birth control.