Abstinence and SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (STD’s)

Abstinence - The Best Choice

Abstinence is the best choice to avoid emotional, physical, and personal consequences of sex outside of marriage. It is clear today that condom education and safer sex messages have not persuaded teenagers to postpone sexual intercourse until marriage. Ninety seven percent of all teens have gone through some type of family planning education, yet America ranks among the highest nations for teen pregnancies.

The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy recently reported that 78 percent of teens surveyed said teens should not be sexually active. Two thirds said they would not tell a sibling to have sex while still a teenager. The study also found that 63 percent of teenaged boys and girls who have had sexual intercourse now wish they had waited.

Abstinence - the Best Prevention

Abstinence is the best prevention for teens and singles. One in five Americans have a sexually transmitted disease today. Each year, 15.3 million Americans are newly diagnosed with an STD. In this new millennial age, we have all the 'gadgets' for sexual freedom: latex condoms, Norplant, Depo-Provera, birth control pills. But, somehow we also have these national epidemics: sexually transmitted diseases and out of wedlock pregnancies. One million teens get pregnant every year; a teen girl gives birth every 8.5 minutes.

Abstinence Education Works

Thirty five percent of school districts across the nation now report they adhere to an abstinence - only policy where teens are taught that abstinence is the only option outside of marriage. Nearly 50 percent of all high school students today say they are considering abstaining from sex outside of wedlock. The latest data show that nearly 52 percent of high school students are still virgins. Recent increases in the numbers of young people who are chaste indicate that abstinence is not just healthy - it is achievable. Abstinence and decreased sexual activity among sexually active adolescents are primarily responsible for the decline during the 1990s in teen pregnancy, birth, and abortion rates.

Abstinence - Not Just a Religious Message

The abstinence message embraces universal moral and social values. Abstinence programs stress that teenagers are able and willing to abstain from sexual activity. This is the only approach that offers a foolproof solution to the prevention of teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and the psychological problems that accompany adolescent sexual activity. It is “directive” sex education - it upholds clear moral principles and encourages high expectations on the part of students.

One thousand sexually active teenage girls were asked what they most wanted to know about sex. Eighty three percent of them responded that they wanted to know “how to say no without hurting the boy's feelings.” The belief that children must be taught the value of sexual restraint, as well as respect and responsibility, is at the core of the abstinence message.

STD's

“In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. An additional 15 million people become infected each year.” -- Center for Disease Control

HISTORY OF STDs

Pre-1960s: Syphilis and Gonorrhea were the only major STDs

1976: Chlamydia first recognized

1981: AIDS identified

1982: Herpes became very prevalent

1992: PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease recognized

1996: HPV or Human Papilloma Virus recognized as the cause of 90% of all cervical cancer, and is the reason for yearly PAP smears

1980-present: 8 NEW diseases identified including HIV

*It is important to note that this is not just a case of medical science diagnosing what has existed all along. These are NEW diseases, caused by sexual activity with multiple partners. Viruses continue to mutate and multiply, all the while becoming more resistant to treatment.

STATISTICS

• 1 in 5 Americans have been infected with an STD (American Social Health Association).
   
• The fastest growing population contracting AIDS is women. In 1985, 7% of AIDS cases reported were women. That percentage increased to 14% in 1992, and to 23% in 1999 (AIDS.ORG).
   
• Sexually active adolescent girls have the highest risk of cervical infections because the ectropion (the delicate tissue that surrounds a young woman's cervix) is not fully formed until she is 18 years old. Therefore, it is very vulnerable to blood borne infections (Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1994).
   
• Approximately 2/3 of all people who acquire STDs are under 25 (American Social Health Association).
   
• PID or Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is the most rapidly increasing cause of infertility in the United States. Researchers have estimated that a sexually active 15-year-old has a 1 in 8 chance of developing PID. By the age of 24, the probability decreases to 1 in 80 (The Medical Institute).
   
• There are presently more than 25 significant STDs (Center for Disease Control).
   
• In the United States, more than 65 million people are currently living with an incurable STD. An additional 15 million people become infected each year (ibid).
   
• In 1999, reports indicated that strains of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) were present in 99% of samples tested for cervical cancer. It is estimated that 75% of sexually active Americans are ",or have previously been," infected with HPV (The Medical Institute).
   
• While almost all STDs can be treated to relieve pain or minimize symptoms, there is no cure for viral STDs; this includes Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and Herpes (ibid).
   

MOST COMMON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

PREVENTION

Abstaining from sex is the only way to be 100 percent confident of avoiding STD infection.

Prevention through avoiding exposure is the best strategy for controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Proper use of condoms with each act of sexual intercourse can reduce, yet not eliminate, risk of STDs. (Center for Disease Control and Prevention)

Condoms provide the best (though not complete) protection against HIV and Gonorrhea. They are less effective protecting against Herpes type 2 and Chlamydia. Condoms provide little protection against bacterial vaginosis and HPV (the most common STD). (Cates, W. Jr. & Stone, K.M. [1992, March/April]. Family Planning, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Contraceptive Choice: A Literature Update - Part 1. Family Planning Perspectives, 24[2], 75-84).

Condoms must be used consistently and correctly each time to protect against infection.

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