Today’s adolescents are dealing with more sexual pressures than ever. By age 15, parental influence is eclipsed by the social weight of peers. Yet even with increased pressure, teens are often choosing not to engage in sex. In a recent study of over 4500 U.S. teenagers aged 15-19, sexual activity declined from 1988 to the 2006-2010 period from 51% to 43% in girls and 60% to 42% in boys.1
The top reasons stated by both male and female teens for abstaining from sexual intercourse were religious and moral reasons, having not found the right person, and not wanting to get pregnant.2 Whatever your reason for waiting, the choice is yours. Be empowered to decide what the future holds for you. Real choices. Your decision.
1 Medical Institute for Sexual Health. Medical Institute Newsletter, October 2011 Issue. CDC report shows declining sexual activity among US teenagers. Retrieved from: http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/54377.html
2 Centers for Disease Control. (2011). Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, 2006–2010 National Survey of Family Growth, Vital and Health Statistics, Series 23, No. 31. Retrieved from: http://content.enewslettersonline.com/17125/54377.html
