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The benefits using hormonal contraception together with condoms are expansive, preventing both pregnancy and the spread of  sexually transmitted infections and diseases. A new study released in the Journal of Adolescent Health finds that young women who begin using hormonal forms of contraception often discontinue the use of condoms. Along with the added dangers of contracting STD's, as only condoms can prevent this, researchers say that when women stop using these hormonal forms of contraception they still keep the habit of not enforcing the use of condoms, opening them, once again, to the risks of pregnancy and STD(I)'s.

The report looked at well over 1,000 young women between the ages of 15 to 24 and reports that 36 percent first-time visitors to Planned Parenthood for contraception used condoms prior to receiving chemical contraception.

After a 3 month follow-up experts found that the number dropped to 27 percent and after a year they found that the women discontinued use of the hormonal contraception and more than half of the non-users did not resume using condoms.

While experts do not explain why the women stopped using hormonal contraception (though one may assume that lack of a stable relationship/sabbatical from sex or any number of side-effects from the drug may cause cessation), Rachel Goldstein, M.D., of Stanford University School of Medicine and lead author of the study, gives her thoughts on why condom use is low despite whether or not hormonal contraception is being used.

"It appears that her partner's feelings may be more important than her perceived risk of a sexually transmitted infection or her own beliefs about dual method use," said Goldstein.

Though a women might feel she is at risk of contracting an STI she may not have a choice: "she may not be able to advocate for herself and successfully negotiate condom use with her partner."

The study reveal that "Women who said their partner thought condoms were "very important" or did not know how their partners felt about condom use were more likely to be dual method users than women who said their partner thought condoms were "not at all important."

Relapses in sporadic use of hormonal contraception is frequent in young women and though the study only looked at these forms of contraception they advise that young women, just starting to use contraception should seek out more long-lasting forms such as hormonal implants or IUDs, which protect against pregnancy for several years. 

---and always use a condom.