PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND SUPPORTS AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS RECOMMENDATIONS

(New Haven, CT) –Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) supports the recommendations that were released this morning by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). It is a critical role of health care providers to serve teens as a trusted advisor and source of sexual health information, supporting adolescents and their families to discuss and ask questions about sensitive issues such as sexual health and relationships. As the country’s most trusted provider of reproductive health care and sex education, Planned Parenthood understands how important it is for young people to have access to effective, affordable contraceptive methods, as well as comprehensive sex education. Data shows that contraception and sex education work.

The new AAP recommendations that Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) should be the first-line of contraceptive choice for adolescents who choose not to be abstinent makes good sense as LARC methods are effective at preventing pregnancy. Research has demonstrated that implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs) greatly reduce the risk of pregnancy. When using LARCs accurately, the percentage of unintended pregnancies is less than one percent.

“At Planned Parenthood, we also recognize that while effective at preventing pregnancy, LARCs will not reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). It is important sexually active people use condoms every time to help reduce the risk and transmission of STDs,” said Jenny Carrillo, PhD, Senior Vice President of Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “Moreover, while we recognize the advantages of LARCs, birth control methods are not one-size-fits-all. A method that’s perfect for one individual may not be right for another. It is important people speak with their health care provider to find a method that is right for them. Planned Parenthood helps women decide which forms of contraception make sense for them, and encourages women, men and teens to get tested and treated for sexually transmitted diseases.”

Teen patients of Planned Parenthood are encouraged to talk with someone they can trust when having a problem, like a parent, family member, a teacher, guidance counselor, coach, a peer counselor, a doctor or nurse, a priest, minister or rabbi. Planned Parenthood regularly conducts age appropriate and developmentally-targeted sexual history, assessing risk for sexually transmitted infections, and providing appropriate screening and/or education about safe and effective contraceptive methods, in alignment with the newly released recommendations of the AAP.

“Investing in prevention and comprehensive sex education is the only proven way to address unintended pregnancies. The health educators and trainers of PPSNE facilitate over 400 education programs each year and in 2010 we reached almost 10,000 teens, parents and other adults in Connecticut and Rhode Island,” Carrillo said. “Planned Parenthood’s educational programs and professional trainings foster a deeper understanding of sexuality as a healthy and natural part of our lives. Our educators and trainers use medically accurate, age-appropriate and developmentally-targeted information when working with youth and adults in a variety of settings, including schools, church groups and community-based organizations.”

Health professionals who work for Planned Parenthood are committed to working with their patients to help them avoid unintended pregnancies and ensure our patients can lead healthy, happy lives.

For more information on Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, visit ppsne.org.

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Planned Parenthood of Southern New England (PPSNE) is one of the region’s largest providers of family planning and reproductive health care services. Since 1923, PPSNE has evolved into an organization with 18 health centers in Connecticut and Rhode Island, delivering care to nearly 70,000 patients annually, and 90 percent of the services provided are preventive.