Use of long-acting reversible contraceptives in adolescents: what are the benefits? High rates of unintended pregnancies are a concern in the United States and remain higher than in other developed countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] (2013) defines unintended pregnancy as “an incorrect, unplanned, or unwanted pregnancy at the time of conception.” It is estimated that approximately fifty percent of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended. These pregnancies result in 1.2 million abortions per year in our country and are associated with an increased risk of health problems for both the woman and the newborn. Among women under the age of 19, more than 80% of pregnancies were unintended, and the percentage is higher, at 98%, among adolescents under the age of 15. In 2011, the birth rate for women ages 15 to 19 was 31.3 per 1,000 women (CDC, 2013). Teenage pregnancy in the United States is associated with higher rates of high school dropout among women and a greater likelihood of incarceration, repeat teen pregnancy, and unemployment for children of teen mothers. Furthermore, approximately half of unintended pregnancies in the United States result from contraceptive failure, largely due to inconsistent or incorrect use of effective contraceptive methods (Winner et al., 2012). Although pregnancy rates for long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are lower and continuation rates are higher than for oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), OCPs continue to be the most commonly used contraceptive method in the United States (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], 2011). This literature review seeks to answer the following PICO question: In adolescent, nulliparous women (P), are LARCs (I) more effective... half of the article... n their adolescent patients. Handout/recommendations ReferencesAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2011). Long-acting reversible contraception: implants and intrauterine devices. Practical bulletin n.121. Obstet. Gynecol., 118, 184-196.American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2012). ACOG Committee Opinion No. 539: Adolescents and long-acting reversible contraception: implants and intrauterine devices. Obstet. Gynecol., 120, 983-988. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Contraception. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/UnintendedPregnancy/Contraception.htmSuhonen, S., Haukkamaa, M., Jakobsson, T., & Rauramo, I. (2004). Clinical performance of a levonogestrel-releasing intrauterine system and oral contraceptives in young nulliparous women: a comparative study. Contraception, 69, 407-412.