April 10, 2010

Recent research shows that comprehensive sex education can reduce the possibility of teenage pregnancy, and there is no indication that it is raising the level of sexual activity or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

“It’s not harmful to teach teens about birth control, in addition to the rejection of sex.” said Pamela Kohler, program manager at the University of Washington in Seattle.

Parents and educators have long argued, whether the student should get a teaching birth control, or are easy to just say no to free sex.
Kohler and colleagues studied the results of a national survey of the United States in 2002 and focused on heterosexual teen ages 15 to 19 years. These findings, based on responses from 1719 adolescents, published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

After reviewing the results, researchers found that one in four teens received sex education course denial. Nine per cent, mainly in poor and rural areas, did not receive sex education at all. Two-thirds of the remainder receives comprehensive instruction, with discussion of birth control and rejection of the relationship. Teens that received comprehensive sex education has 60 percent less likely to get pregnant, compared to that received no sex education at all. (more…)