At least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, or more than 3 million teens, according to the first study of its kind in this age group.
A virus (HPV) that causes cervical cancer is by far the most common sexually transmitted infection in teen girls aged 14 to 19, while the highest overall prevalence is among black girls — nearly half the blacks studied had at least one STD. That rate compared with 20 percent among both whites and Mexican-American teens, the study from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.
Among girls who admitted ever having sex, the rate was 40 percent. While some teens define sex as only intercourse, other types of intimate behavior including oral sex can spread some infections.
Source: Fox News
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336749,00.html
This statistic is certainly disturbing and should motivate parents to make sure they are discussing sexuality with their kids. As noted in another recent blog post, talking to kids about sexuality should be more than "the talk". It should be an ongoing, age-appropriate discussion that begins when kids are young. The effects of an STD can be devastating and result in repercussions that haunt kids into their adult years. So, be sure to talk about the dangers of sexual activity as you teach your kids about healthy sexuality!
If you are looking for some help on how to start talking to your kids about sexuality, find our free resources on HomeWord.com.
Also worthy of note: Jim Burns has several new books ("The Purity Code" and "Teaching Your Children Healthy Sexuality") that will help parents teach kids in the area of sexuality, that will be published in 2008. Pre-sales of these books are available at the publisher's website (Bethany House). Click here to view.
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