Just for Youth

 

QUICK TIPS

• More than one million teens become pregnant each year.
• Babies of young teen mothers are more likely to be born with serious health problems.
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) may cause exteme pain.
• STDs/STIs may cause sterility (being unable to have children in the future). Some are also incurable and may even cause death.
• A girl can get pregnant even if she is on her period.
• Abstinence (not having sex) is the only method of birth control that is 100% effective.
• Adolescents aged 13 to 19 have the highest rate of sexually transmitted infections (chlamydia, genital herpes/warts, gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS, syphilis) of any age group.
• A girl can get pregnant the first time she has sex.

          People say 'wait until you are ready' what does 'being ready' mean?

• Does this 'feel right'?
• Am I respected/valued/cared for?
• Do I respect, value, care for, or love my partner?
• Will I get hurt - feel used, let down, or ashamed?
• Am I using the other person?
• What do I want from thisrelationship?
• What does my partner want from the relationship?
• Can we talk about contraception and safer sex before we do it?

For some people it is really easy to be pressured into doing things we don't really want to do. Don't ever feel like you have to impress or keep your boyfriend or girlfriend. If he or she truly cares for you, they will understand and wait until you feel ok about it.

For any questions or more information please call 1(800)717-1231.


Important Disclaimer-All material on this site has been developed for educational purposes only, and under no circumstance should it replace the expert care of your personal physician or the advice of a qualified practitioner.