title: The prescribing of contraceptives for adolescents in German gynecologic practices in 2007 and 2011: a retrospective database analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prescribing trend of contraceptives in adolescent girls aged 12-18 years and to compare prescribing patterns of the most frequently used contraceptives among this population in Germany in 2007 and 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze contraceptive prescriptions written by gynecologists in 2007 and 2011 in Germany by using the IMS Disease Analyzer database (IMS HEALTH). All adolescent girls aged 12-18 years with at least 1 prescription of a contraceptive drug in 2007 or 2011 were identified. The prevalence of contraceptive prescriptions was calculated and the types of contraceptive substances prescribed were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 21,026 teenage girls in 2007 and 18,969 in 2011 received contraceptive prescriptions. The prevalence of contraceptive prescribing rose significantly between 2007 and 2011 (P < .001). The percentage of teen girls who received prescriptions of levonorgestrel and chlormadinone pills was significantly higher in 2011 compared to 2007 (P < .001). However, the portion of contraceptive pills containing drospirenone or desogestrel significantly decreased in 2011 compared to 2007 (P < .01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a significant increase in contraceptive prescription usage among adolescent girls between 2007 and 2011 in Germany. However, the prescription behavior of doctors also changed; they consequently prescribed contraceptives with more evidence. Further research is needed to better understand the various factors associated with contraceptive use among this population.
authors.affiliation: Gyn. Praxis Eichler/Ziller Medizin Marburg Mitte, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziller
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ziller
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kostev
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000736:Androstenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002715:Chlormadinone Acetate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017135:Desogestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006176:Gynecology / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008599:Menstruation Disturbances / Q000188:drug therapy; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D002715:Chlormadinone Acetate; D016912:Levonorgestrel; D017135:Desogestrel; C035144:drospirenone
keywords: Adolescents; Contraception; Pregnancy prevention