Std Prevention
Abstinence And STD Prevention Today’s world is full of worries and problems
which did not affect teens a generation ago. New problems keep appearing in
today’s world, such as STDs, increased pregnancy rates, and other factors facing
teens who choose to have sex. Emotionally and physically teens and getting less
developed before having sex and are not prepared for the serious problems which
come along with their decision to have sex. No longer is it a matter which will
just go away if we ignore it, but teen health and the health of our society
depend on choices which today’s teens make regarding sex. With so many diseases
and problems facing today’s world, abstinence is the only way to protect
ourselves. Abstinence is a safe choice in preventing the possibility of
pregnancy. One-tenth of young women between the ages of 15 and 19 get pregnant
every year, 83 percent of these pregnancies are unwanted or unplanned. Half of
the unmarried teens who get pregnant do so within six months of their first
sexual experience. In fact, between 1986 and 1990, teen childbearing increased
by 16 percent. What’s worse, pregnant teenagers often don’t see a doctor until
the time of delivery. Another serious problem surrounding teen sexual
intercourse is the probability of AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
Each year, three million teens are infected with STDs. Among 14- to
20-year-olds, chlamydia is the most common. It has no obvious symptoms, and can
cause infertility if left untreated.
Another common disease is herpes, which
causes sores and painful swelling of the genitals. Its symptoms can be managed,
but not cured. Fifteen percent of all teenage girls carry the virus that causes
genital warts, another common STD. Gonorrhea, not uncommon in teens, is known to
cause pelvic pain, discharge, and painful urination. It may leave its victims
sterile. Perhaps even more serious is the disease Syphilis, which killed famous
mobster Al Capone. It causes sores, rashes, brain and organ damage, and death.
It can also harm an unborn child. AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is a
growing danger, and is by far the most serious sexually transmitted disease.
AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds. Cases among
teens have grown 62 percent in the past two years, and the number of teens with
AIDS doubles every 14 months. A fifth of all AIDS victims in this country today
are in their twenties, and since the disease takes two to ten years to develop,
those victims contracted it in their teenage years. Even scarier is that,
according to a study of 19 universities, one in 500 college students may carry
the AIDS virus. With these frightening statistics, it's easy to see why many
teens are choosing not to have sex. Many bold teenagers think they can totally
avoid pregnancy and STDs by using various forms of contraceptives. However,
while it does lessen the chances of disease and unwanted pregnancy, birth
control is not always dependable. Although sex my bring appeal to our
generation, the best way to prevent teen pregnancy and STD’s is by practicing
abstinence. Hopefully before any more people are infected by some of these
deadly diseases, kids will get the idea that being safe and practicing
abstinence is the best way to go.
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