Unprotected sex is a risky teen behavior that can lead to teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs. Avoiding unprotected sex means abstaining from sex or using a male condom correctly every time a teen has sex. Condoms are widely available for a small cost at stores, or free at some clinics, but according to the Center for Disease Control, 34 percent of sexually active teens reported having unprotected sex in 2005.
Teens may have unprotected sex for several reasons:
- They feel like pregnancy and STDs are things that only happen to other people, though each year 1 million teen girls get pregnant and nearly 10 million teen boys and girls get STDs from unprotected sex
- One or both teens use drugs or alcohol before sex
- They don’t know the risks of unprotected teen sex
- They don’t know where to get condoms, or think they are too expensive
- They feel pressured by their partner to do so, though a caring partner will never pressure a teen to have unprotected sex.
The younger a teen is when he or she first has sex the more likely he or she is to have unprotected sex resulting in an STD or pregnancy. Teens who feel pressured to have sex because “everyone is doing it” should know that more than half of teens wait until they are older to have sex. There is no “safe” time to have unprotected sex, when there is not a chance that it will result in pregnancy or transmit an STD, and only abstaining from sex is guaranteed to prevent pregnancy or STDs.
Teen pregnancy due to unprotected sex can have serious consequences:
- Teen boys and girls involved in a pregnancy can face negative social and emotional consequences.
- Teen pregnancy is a financial challenge, especially for teen girls, who are more likely to drop out of school and live in poverty if they become pregnant.
- Teen girls’ health usually suffers if she becomes pregnant, since most teens’ bodies are not developed enough to handle pregnancy.
- Babies born to teen girls are more likely to have health problems and, if not given up for adoption, to be economically and educationally disadvantaged.
If you are a teen girl who suspects she may be pregnant, it is essential to seek care immediately from a doctor or health clinic.
One in four teens in the United States gets an STD each year, and by age 25 half of all sexually active young adults have an STD. STDs can be transmitted through all types of sexual contact, including intercourse, oral sex, anal sex, and sometimes even deep kissing. Some STDs can be treated with antibiotics, but others have no cure, and in some cases are deadly.
Some common STDs include:
- Genital Warts (HPV)
- Herpes
- HIV/AIDS
- Hepatitis B
- Chlamydia
- Syphilis
- Gonorrhea (“clap” or “drip”)
STDs often have no symptoms, or symptoms that only occur periodically, so even if a person seems healthy, he or she may still have an STD.
Some potential symptoms of one or more STDs can include:
- Changes around your genitals or mouth, such as bumps, sores, rashes, redness, swelling, or itching.
- Painful urination
- Pain during sex
- Discharge from your penis or vagina; for girls, bleeding not connected to your period
- Fever, chills, aches, diarrhea, weight loss, and other flu-like symptoms
- Jaundice?a yellowing of the skin and eye whites
Untreated STDs, even those that do not produce symptoms, can lead to serious health problems. If you suspect you might have an STD, get medical help immediately.
Though it may be scary or embarrassing to tell your parents that you are involved in a pregnancy or have an STD, in most situations they can provide support and help you get the medical attention you need.
Teen Sex and Unprotected Sex Sources:
- National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy [online]
- Center for Disease Control: Healthy Youth! Sexual Risk Behaviors [online]
- WebMD.com, “Your Guide to Sexually Transmitted Diseases” [online]
- Center for Disease Control: Adolescent Reproductive Health [online]
- AllRefer Health, “Adolescent Pregnancy” [online]
- WebMD.com, “Where do Kids learn about Sex?” [online]
