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February 2015

Addressing the Challenges of Clinician Training for Long-Acting Reversible Contraception

Author Affiliations
  • 1Division of Child and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics, New York–Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University, Columbia University Medical Center, New York
  • 2Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine/Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169(2):103-104. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.2812

Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods are gaining greater popularity in the United States as both patients and health care professionals become educated about their high contraceptive efficacy, relatively few contraindications, and ease of use. In fact, LARC is recommended by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics as a first-line contraceptive option for adolescents.1,2 Use of LARC among 15- to 19-year-olds increased from 1% to 4.5% between 2007 and 20093 and studies suggest that the uptake of these methods would significantly increase if access and cost barriers were removed.3,4 As experts in pediatric and adolescent medicine, we believe it is our duty to be trained and proficient in providing all contraceptive options to our patients, including LARC methods. We believe that LARC education and hands-on training are paramount for all adolescent medicine fellows and interested pediatric residents.

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