What can be done about the epidemics of STDs and non-marital pregnancy facing our country?

The most effective way to deal with the epidemics of STDs is to recognize the importance of promoting abstinence. With teenagers in particular, they are going to look to adults as role models for expected behavior. If we ourselves don’t believe a teen can commit to abstinence, it will be difficult to promote that in the classroom. The truth is that they can and many people do choose to wait for sex. The road may not be easy, but a person committed to waiting will be guaranteed a sexually transmitted disease and unplanned pregnancy-free lifestyle.

The good news is that there is evidence that many teens are getting the message. According to Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data, over half of teens in high school are not having sexual intercourse. From 1991 through 2001 the number of teens not having sexual intercourse increased from 46% to 54%. The number of teens with four or more lifetime partners also decreased significantly from 1991 to 2001. Most teens will postpone sexual activity (become or remain abstinent) with proper instruction and encouragement, especially from parents or guardians.

How serious is the sexually transmitted disease epidemic?

The STD incidence rate was estimated at 18.9 million per year for the year 2000 - a 6 million increase over the 1996 estimate. In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. Some 19 million new STDs occur each year, almost half of them among young people aged 15–24.

Taken from the Medical Institute website, below are incidence and prevalence rate estimates for specific STDs in 2000:

• STI Incidence Prevalence
• HPV 5.5 million 20 million
• trichomonas 5 million unknown
• chlamydia 3 million 2 million
• genital herpes 1 million 45 million
• gonorrhea 650,000 unknown
• hepatitis B 120,000 417,000
• syphilis 70,000 unknown
• HIV 43,000 930,000(3)

Prevalence refers to the number of people infected in the year 2000.

What is the impact of non-marital teenage pregnancy

Each year over 800,000 teenagers become pregnant. Studies show that 1 in 3 teens is pregnant at least once before the age of 20. Teen pregnancy impacts the mother, father, child, extended family and society. Often times a teen may struggle with gaining support from her parents and outside resources to help her have the baby. Siblings of the teen may also be affected indirectly with the choices she has made. Society is affected if the teen is unable to work and cannot finish school.

Studies show that teen parents are more likely than other teens to:

• drop out of school
• have additional out-of-wedlock children
• change jobs
• be on welfare
• have mental and physical health problems

Children born to teens are at increased risk for:

• low birth weight
• lower cognitive scores
• school failure
• becoming teenage parents
• incarceration
• drug abuse

Why teach abstinence to teens?

Teachers have a unique opportunity to share knowledge with the students given to their care. In the case of teaching abstinence, teens deserve to know the facts about the risks of premarital sex. As a behavioral choice, abstinence eliminates the risk of contracting and spreading an STD, unplanned pregnancy, and the emotional consequences of sex before marriage. Teens are looking to adults for the answers to their questions about sexual integrity. In a culture that is saturated with sex, teens need to be given the option that guarantees a risk free lifestyle in regards to their sexual choices.

What are the top 10 pressures on teenagers to have sex?

1. Pressure from other teens
2. Television
3. Movies
4. Music videos, song lyrics
5. Books & magazines
6. Advertising
7. Sex ed programs at school
8. Family members and other adults
9. Internet
10. An inner desire to be loved.

An in depth description of each pressure is given in Mike Long’s book, Teenagers:Everyone is Not doing it.