Teen Sex Happens: More Often Than We Want to Admit

Recently we have been reminded by candidates in both parties that the candidate's families should not be targets of media scrutiny. Some say it's politically incorrect. Some say it's just common sense. I agree. Today I'm not talking about a specific teen, I'm talking about teens in general and the increase in teen sex. 

Teen sex happens and more often than some parents are willing to believe. In fact, "the decade-long decline in sexual activity among high school students leveled off between 2001 and 2007," according to a recent government study reported in the Washington Post.

In the same article they report another troubling trend, "One in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted disease and that the teen birth rate has increased for the first time in 15 years."

For those parents with their heads still buried in the sand, listen up: Teen sex happens and now teen pregnancy and STDs are also increasing.

Some say teen sex is a moral issue. Some say it's a family issue. Some blame the parents. Some blame the media. 

No matter how you look at the topic of teen sex and teen pregnancy, it can't be ignored in family discussions. I believe that parents need to keep the line of communication open with their teens about all the tough topics including sex. In fact, I don't think parents should wait around for their teens to come to them first, I think moms and dads need to be prepared now--not wait for "tomorrow" or "next week"--to have a frank talk with their teens (and in some cases even preteens) about sex. I'm not saying this is easy or that talking to your kids will solve every problem, but it can help your teen understand that you are there for them when and if they have a concern.

The obvious consequence of sex is pregnancy, but the more common consequences are sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The high STD rates among teens is a clear signal that parents and doctors are not getting the message about the risks of sex and STDs through to teens. Because so many STDs do not have any symptoms in the early stages, teenage girls might not get appropriate medical care and they can pass it on without knowing. 

What should we say to our teens? Teaching abstinence-only sex education is one method, but this may only delay sexual activity. Even if you believe abstinence is best, giving teens information about STD prevention and pregnancy prevention is a powerful way to explain that "casual sex" is a myth. So what is another option for sex ed? Teaching comprehensive sex education is another option--one that doesn't ignore the fact that more and more teens are engaging in a wide variety of sexual activities. 

In a recent post I blogged about why parents need to talk to their kids about sex. Here is a snippet from that post:

STDs are on the rise among teenage girls. A recent study by the CDC found that 1 in 4 (26 %) teenage girls between the ages of 14 and 19 is infected with at least one of the most common STDs. That translates to about 3.2 million female adolescents estimated to have at least one of the most common STDs in the US. Fifteen percent in the study had more than one kind of STD. This is not a study to dismiss because parents want to believe this could never happen to their daughters. Sex among teens is common--estimates suggest approximately 40-50% of teenage girls are sexually active. If teens think sex is just another form of communication, they need to rethink the consequences and know how to protect themselves. Buying into the message from peers and the media that says “sex is casual” is a big mistake for teens. The severe health effects of STDs for women – from infertility to cervical cancer – shouldn’t be ignored. Teens need to know a condom isn’t always enough protection. According to the FDA, latex condoms do not protect against all STDs.

Even if you'd like to believe teens don't have sex, they do know where to find condoms in the drug store. But do they know they can talk to you about sex if they have concerns?

(Looking for more information? After I posted on this topic on BlogHer, Barb at www.NurseBarb.com  sent me a great link to her interview on ABC's View from the Bay in San Francisco. You can also read more about health issues on her blog Barb's Daily Dose.)