Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
NEW YORK (AP) — A new survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that more than 1 in 5 sexually active teen girls have used the morning-after pill. Ten years ago it was 1 in 12.
There had been restrictions on the purchase of the morning after pill, but now, all teens can buy it without a prescription.
The report shows little recent change in most other types of birth control used by sexually active teens. Almost all say they said they've used condoms at some point, and more than half have used the pill.
Bill Albert, the chief program officer for the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, says 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." He says, "In the battle between sex and sex with contraception, sex often wins."
The morning-after pill contains a higher dose of the female hormone progestin than is in regular birth control pills. It can cut the chances of pregnancy by nearly 90 percent if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
Sound:
%@AP Links
261-c-17-(Diane Kepley, AP correspondent)--AP correspondent Diane Kepley reports a new government survey finds a dramatic increase in the number of teens who are taking the morning after pill. (21 Jul 2015)
<<CUT *261 (07/21/15)££ 00:17
260-v-32-(Diane Kepley, AP correspondent)--The use of the morning after pill is climbing among teenagers. AP correspondent Diane Kepley reports. (21 Jul 2015)
<<CUT *260 (07/21/15)££ 00:32
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
