The purpose of this study is to determine whether contraceptive compliance by young women can be improved through expanded counseling by a health educator at the initial clinic visit as compared with standard care.

Inclusion criteria:

• Sexually active females 16 to 24 years of age who present to a University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) clinic and request to initiate oral contraception for birth control.

Exclusion criteria:

• Women who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Women who wish to become pregnant within the next 12 months.
• Women who have a medical contraindication to use of estrogen (e.g., thromboembolic disease, acute liver disease, breast cancer, genital cancer, or undiagnosed genital bleeding).
• Women wishing to initiate use of a contraceptive method that is not oral, such as transdermal (the patch) or injectable (DMPA) methods, or the vaginal ring.
• Current and previous users of oral contraceptives.