Safe Sex

Sex- a topic nobody really wants to talk about; it is a social taboo of sorts. But the truth is, it doesn’t have to be. Each year, U.S. teens experience as many as 850,000 pregnancies, and youth under age 25 experience about 9.1 million sexually transmitted diseases By age 18, 70 percent of U.S. females and 62 percent of U.S. males have initiated vaginal sex. But another big issue is the fact that some schools aren’t teaching sex-ed well enough. How? It’s simple. They teach abstinence only methods- that there is no such thing as safe sex. However, this is incorrect- there are many forms of contraception. I will list some below:

• Birth Control Pills- Very effective against pregnancy if used correctly, makes menstrual periods more regular and lighter, decreases menstrual cramps and acne, and makes you less likely to get ovarian and uterine cancer, pelvic inflammatory disease, ovarian cysts, and anemia. However, it does not protect us from STDs, and is a daily dose- you cannot forget to take it. 
• Intra-Uterine Device (IUD)- it is An intrauterine device is a type of birth control that is inserted through the vagina and cervix into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. It is essentially a “T” shaped bar that effectively prevents pregnancy. It isn’t really felt by your partner, and it helps lessen menstrual bleeding too. However, it does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. SOmetimes, it may be a bit uncomfortable for the user- but this is rare. 
• Shot (Depo-Provera injection)- It is a shot provided by healthcare professionals that is administered every three months. It helps protect against uterine cancer, and is very effective against pregnancy if used correctly. Keeping in mind that it too doesn’t protect against STDs, it also may cause the user to gain a bit of weight and have irregular periods. 

    

    Taking these into consideration, I’d hope you’d understand that there are these AND many more options to ensure that your sex is safe. Abstinence is not the only way.  Stay safe readers. 
​
Sophia