The Consequences Of Sexual Activity Among Youth
December 11, 2008 by rainier
Teenage sexual activity brings with it serious consequences, including unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and emotional stress.Adolescents are at a higher risk for acquiring STDs for several reasons: they are more likely to have multiple partners, to engage in intercourse without contraception, and to select partners at higher risk.10 Also, younger women are biologically more susceptible to infections than older women.11 Every year three million teenagers, which is about one-fourth of teenagers who have had sex (at least once), acquire an STD.
In fact, HIV infection is the sixth leading cause of death among 15-24 year olds.Thirty years ago there were only two common and easily treated STDs. Today there are more than 20 prevalent STDs.A report by the Institute of Medicine referred to STDs as a “hidden epidemic” because of people’s reluctance to discuss them and because many are without symptoms. Some STDs affecting many in the general population include
chlamydia (4 million cases), gonorrhea (800,000 cases), human papillomavirus (500,000-1 million cases), genital herpes (200,000-500,000 cases), AIDS (80,000 cases) and hepatitis B (53,000 cases).
Another serious consequence of adolescent sexual activity is pregnancy. About one million teenage women become pregnant each year. Older teenagers who are poor or black are more likely to become pregnant than those who are young, white or have a higher income.The number of unintended teen pregnancies has been decreasing recently. The teen birthrate dropped from 62.1 births per 1,000 teens in 1991 to 56.9 births per 1,000 teens in 1995.17 However, the birthrate of those who were sexually experienced actually rose during the same time period, indicating that abstinence was the main contributor to the overall decrease.
While the physical consequences of early sexual involvement can pose serious risk, the emotional toll of sexual involvement cannot be overlooked. The Alan Guttmacher Institute writes, “Having sex can engender a sense of shame or guilt; push a couple apart; raise unrealistic expectations of further commitment and marriage; or be a form of abuse.”
