title: Choosing the Right Oral Contraceptive Pill for Teens.
abstract: Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) continue to be the most commonly used form of prescription contraceptives used by adolescents in the United States. With proper use, oral contraceptives provide safe and effective birth control. Broad categories of OCPs include progestin-only pills (POPs) and combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs). Certain types of progestins have more potent antiandrogenic properties and are more effective in treating acne, hirsutism, and polycystic ovary syndrome. This article reviews types of OCPs, discusses risks and benefits of OCPs, and provides guidance for how to choose the most beneficial and appropriate OCP for individual adolescent patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA. Electronic address: anne.powell@umassmemorial.org.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal
keywords: Combined oral contraceptive (COC); Oral contraceptive pill (OCP); Progestin-only contraceptive (POP); US medical eligibility criteria (US MEC); Venous thromboembolism (VTE)