Newer contraceptives give teens more options.(Patch Becoming Popular)

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- New contraceptive technologies are providing a wider array of options for sexually active adolescent girls, Dr. Linda Grant said at a meeting on clinical pediatrics sponsored by Boston University.

After years of stagnation, contraceptive technology is finally moving ahead. New delivery systems, better methods for ensuring compliance, and widening use of emergency contraception offer the potential to benefit sexually active teenagers as well as adult women. "There has been an explosion of new methods," said Dr. Grant, an adolescent medicine specialist at Boston University.

Current choices now include oral contraceptives, injectables, implants, IUDs, barriers, spermicides, emergency contraceptives, abstinence, and sterilization. Of those, sterilization is the only one that is not recommended for adolescents, she said.

Dr. Grant, who receives no financial support from any contraceptive manufacturer, gave her opinions about the use of some current and future methods in adolescents:

* Ortho Evra. This patch, which delivers continuous systemic low-dose hormone, is a major contraceptive advance for teenagers. It can be worn anywhere on the body except the breast. The lower abdomen just above the panty line is a popular place.

Transdermal contraception bypasses the gastrointestinal tract; is easy to apply and remove; and because it's visible on the skin, provides a constant reminder to distracted teenagers who might tend to forget to take a pill, noted Dr. Grant, who is also director of school health for the city of Boston.

One patch--which contains 6 mg norelgestromin and 0.75 mg ethinyl estradiol--is applied on the same day each week for 3 weeks, followed by a patch-free week. Teens should be instructed to dry off thoroughly after showering before applying the patch to minimize the chance of its falling off. However, since this does tend to happen in the beginning, it's a good idea to prescribe an extra patch. They aren't packaged that way, but pharmacists are often willing to do it if you write the script, she said.