NEWS FLASH

Doctors’ Group Encourages Teen Use Of IUDs | The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology is encouraging gynecologists to administer more long-term contraceptives, such as intrauterine devices (IUDs), to sexually active teens. In a paper released last week, the group of women’s health doctors issued new guidelines on long-term contraceptive use, arguing that young women are best suited for long-term contraceptives. The lifespan of such a method can be up to ten years — about as long as an 17-year-old might wait before wanting to have children — and most teen pregnancy is unintended, making young women good targets for the most effective and long-lasting form of birth control. IUDs will also soon be a much more tenable option for young women, since Obamacare requires copay-free availability of the devices, which typically have high up-front costs that can discourage use.