Report: Teen use of morning-after pill is climbing
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 1 in 5 sexually active teen girls have used the morning-after pill — a dramatic increase that likely reflects that it's easier now for teens to buy the emergency contraceptive.
The finding comes from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey that's considered the government's best source of information on teen sex and contraception use.
The fact that more teen girls bought the morning-after pill after it became more accessible is a sign that "teens, like adults, often are not very good at contraception," said Bill Albert, chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy.
The morning-after pill contains a higher dose of the female hormone progestin than is in regular birth control pills.
Experts believe a decline in teen sexual activity and better contraception use have driven an astounding drop in teen birth rates since 1991.