Response of unmarried adolescents to contraceptive advice and service in Nigeria

The responses of a group of all unmarried, sexually active teenagers in a developing country to offers of contraceptive service were assessed in a prospective, 30-month study at a teaching hospital family planning center. Teenagers of this group constituted 7.2% of the clinic population. The default rate was very high (43.0%) and was most noticeable among users of oral contraceptives. The intrauterine device seemed more acceptable, as were injections of norethisterone enanthate. Possible reasons for this pattern of response are given, and the authors suggest giving new consideration to making the intrauterine device more suitable for and acceptable to teenagers of developing countries. The place of norethisterone enanthate in teenage contraception is also discussed.