Creating Recommendations for Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive Use for Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to develop a clinical practice guideline for contraceptive counseling to include long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) recommendations for the adolescent population. LARCs, which include intrauterine devices and implants, are the top-tier contraceptive for nulliparous women yet they are only used in less than 6% of women under 19 years old. There is no LARC clinical practice guideline that addresses the adolescent’s unique developmental and psychosocial needs that arise. A clinical practice guideline with adolescent-specific recommendations will strengthen counseling especially for long-acting reversible contraceptives. The review of literature searched PubMed, CINHAL, National Guideline Clearinghouse, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library using search terms "LARCs," and "contraceptive counseling." The search yielded over 35,000 results; titles and abstracts were reviewed using pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final source documents included forty-eight applicable manuscripts, which were graded using the United States Preventative Task Force (USPSTF) scale. The evidence was then sorted by similar findings and practice recommendations. The findings were used to formulate practice statements, which were then input into the Bridge-wiz software. The program generated recommendations and assigned a strength rating, and the clinical practice guideline was written from these recommendations. Finally, four clinical experts were identified using snowball sampling; they each participated in the final appraisal using the AGREE II tool. Based on the analysis of the review of literature, fifteen evidenced-based recommendations emerged. The recommendation topics included: best-practices for recommending LARCs, using developmentally appropriate teaching, providing youth-friendly services, and eliminating potential barriers to LARC uptake in adolescents. There are fifteen practice recommendations that increase adolescent uptake of LARCs. Limitations for the project included the absence of an internal review committee to grade the evidence and assign a strength to each recommendation. The use of Bridge-wiz software and the USPSTF evidence scale minimized bias. Providers can facilitate use of LARCs among adolescents by using developmentally appropriate and comprehensive contraceptive counseling. If more adolescents chose a LARC as their primary form of contraception, then overall teenage pregnancies may decrease. Further research is needed to understand other barriers and possible interventions.