The Bush administration, however, voiced continuing support for such programs during a hearing before a House of Representatives panel even as many Democrats called for cutting off federal money for so-called abstinence-only instruction. And, in fact, there is evidence to suggest that some of these programs are even harmful and have negative consequences by not providing adequate information for those teens who do become sexually active," Dr.
Margaret Blythe of the American Academy of Pediatrics told the committee. Currently, 17 of the 50 U. Institute of Medicine testified that scientific studies have not found that abstinence-only teaching works to cut pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases or the age when sexual activity begins.
Comprehensive sex education programs should emphasize abstinence as the best way for a teenager to avoid pregnancy or a sexually transmitted disease STD , Blythe said. Below is a review of recent research on the issue of sexuality education: Giving teens the information they need to make responsible life decisions about sex helps teens delay sex and protects their health. A nationwide study of year olds found that teens who participated in sexuality education programs that discuss the importance of delaying sex and provide information about contraceptive use were significantly less likely to report teen pregnancies than were those who received either no sex education or attended abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
More than 85 percent of Americans believe that it is appropriate for school-based sex education programs to teach students how to use and where to get contraceptives. Seventy percent of Americans oppose the use of federal funds for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that prohibit teaching about the use of condoms and contraception for the prevention of unintended pregnancies and STDs.
The study, which looked at four federally funded programs and studied more than students, found that abstinence-only program participants were just as likely to have sex before marriage as teens who did not participate. Furthermore, program participants had first intercourse at the same mean age and the same number of sexual partners as teens who did not participate in the federally funded programs.
And in only one state, did any program demonstrate any success in delaying the initiation of sex. While data suggests that under limited circumstances, teens who sign a pledge may delay sexual intercourse, 88 percent still have sex before marriage.
About 40 of every 1, girls age 15 to 19 gave birth in , the last year for which data was available, the report said. Please enter email address to continue. Please enter valid email address to continue. Chrome Safari Continue. Be the first to know.
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