In The News: CBC, IUD most effective birth control method, Canadian pediatricians declare

Teen girls who are sexually active should be offered long-acting birth control such as an intrauterine device (IUD) as a first line of defence, the Canadian Paediatric Society says in a new position statement.

Pediatricians reviewed the benefits and risks of each method of birth control, which they will continue to do with patients.

“We’re saying that intrauterine contraception is easily the most effective method of contraception and so you should be talking about it,” said Dr. Giosi Di Meglio, an author of the statement and a member of the society’s adolescent health committee.

An IUD is a small, often T-shaped device placed inside the uterus by a doctor, nurse practitioner or nurse to prevent pregnancy. An intrauterine system (IUS) also has a hormone component. Both work continuously over years and can be removed…