JUST FOR TEENS!
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| FACT: Six in ten teens say they wish they'd waited longer to have sex. |
| TEEN PREGNANCY Does it sometimes seem like everyone your age is having sex? Do you know anyone at your school who is pregnant or has a baby? Though teen pregnancy has been on the decline over the past decade, the United States still has the highest teen pregnancy rate of any western industrialized country. So what does this mean for you? It means that, if you're a girl in this country, you have a 34% chance of becoming pregnant by the time you're 20. And it's not just girls who are facing the consequences. The effects of teen parenthood also follow the young fathers and children throughout their lives. You hear about teen pregnancy in movies, in the news, at school, and from your parents. You know it's not a good idea to have a baby when you're still a kid yourself, so why are so many teen still getting pregnant every year? And what can you do about it? ___________________________________________ HAVE A PLAN Teen pregnancy has serious consequences - both physical and emotional, and if you want to avoid them, you need to have a plan. So start by thinking it through carefully yourself. Though there are a variety of ways to avoid pregnancy, there are two basic strategies: *Practice Abstinence: Not having sex at all is the only 100% effective, foolproof method of preventing pregnancy. *Use Contraception: If you do choose to have sex, you need to make sure that use protection every single time. Adapted from www.stayteen,org For more information on: Abstinence, Teen Pregnancy, Myths, and Tips Please visit: www.stayteen.org |
WELCOME...
YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. WE HAVE ANSWERS. Please feel free to drop us an e-mail with your questions regarding: pregnancy, STD's, relationships - all questions welcome! questionbox08@gmail.com |
One out of every three teen girls gets pregnant at least once before they reach age 20. Many teens say they are concerned about pregnancy, but still think "it can't happen to me." But it does - to more than 730,000 girls every year. Today, lots teens are waiting to have sex - for lots of different reasons! They are calling the shots on their own sexuality and they know how to take care of themselves. Here are the top ten reasons teens are deciding to wait. 1. I'm Not Ready - Yet -I know what's right for me, and I'm not ready for sex -I've heard too many kids say they wish they hadn't done it - afterwards. 2. I'm Not Ready to Deal with Birth Control -I'm just not ready to make those kinds of decisions -I don't want to deal with the side effects of birth control 3. I'm Not Ready to Have a Baby -I know that if we have sex, we could still get pregnant - even if we use birth control. -I'm not ready to raise a kid! 4. My Relationship Isn't Ready -I don't want sex to become the focus of what we do. I still want to go to the movies and hang out with my friends. -I know that having sex will not make someone love me or stay with me. 5. I Don't Want to Get an STD -I don't want Chlamydia, Genital Herpes or any other sexually transmitted disease. -I value my own health and future as much as my loved one's do 6. I Have Plans for my Future -I want to keep my options open - having a baby would take up my time, money, and energy. -The consequences of having sex too soon could get in the way of my plans. 7. I Want to Wait Until I'm Older -When I'm older, I'll better be able to deal with birth control and safer sex. -I'll know more about myself and what I want. 8. I Want to Wait Until I'm Married -Sex is a big deal, and waiting for the most important relationship of all, marriage, is the best way to show my love. 9. It's My Decision to Wait! -I am old enough to make my own decisions and not be pressured by my peers. -Even though lots of teens say they're having sex, I don't have to until I'm ready. 10. Everyone is NOT doing it. -Some are, some aren't, and some are just lying...More than half of all teens aged 15 to 17 have not had sex! Waiting to have sex will give you freedom - Freedom from worry about STD's and pregnancy We'd say that's worth it! |