Practice Guideline: Contraception for Adolescents with Chronic Illness

Abstract

Safe sexual practices are important for adolescents to prevent unwanted pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), but these practices may be especially important for those diagnosed with chronic illnesses. Approximately 30% of adolescents suffer from one or more chronic conditions, such as asthma, depression, developmental delay, cerebral palsy, or epilepsy ( Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative, 2012 Child and Adolescent Health Measurement Initiative: The Data Resource Center for Child and Adolescent HealthNational Survey of Children's Health. 2012http://childhealthdata.org/browse/survey/results?q=2473&r=1&g=448 Google Scholar ). Chronic illnesses may confer additional risks to an adolescent should she become pregnant, and some medications used to treat chronic illnesses are teratogenic. Hormonal contraceptives may affect the disease process in some conditions, and exogenous hormones may interact with medications. Health care providers must be aware of the best contraceptive options and potential contraindications for patients with chronic illnesses. This practice guideline will review contraceptive options for adolescent females and discuss Centers for Disease Control ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016 Centers for Disease Control & PreventionU.S. Medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 2016. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report. 2016; 65: 1-103 PubMed Google Scholar ) recommendations in the context of certain chronic illnesses. Chronic illnesses may confer additional risks to an adolescent should she become pregnant, and some medications used to treat chronic illnesses are teratogenic. Chronic illnesses may confer additional risks to an adolescent should she become pregnant, and some medications used to treat chronic illnesses are teratogenic. Taylor N. Hall, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Grove Park Pediatrics, Burlington, NC. Elizabeth K. Rende, Assistant Professor, Duke University School of Nursing, Duke Pediatric Headache Clinic–Duke Pediatric Neurology, Durham, NC.