Guest Post by LoveFacts.org

So, you’ve met someone you think is super cute and you get all sorts of giddy when you’re around them. Turns out, they feel the same way about you!  Hooray!

Before you jump into a serious relationship though you start to take The Pill –because, safety first- and do a little test trial under the sheets…er… right?

STOP! Not so fast!

Did you know that 1 in 4 teenage girls has an STD according to the CDC¹?

Taking The Pill doesn’t do much either. It is far from safe. For instance, did you know that estrogen and progesterone based oral contraceptives increases your risk of stroke²? And that The Pill is known for causing blood clots³ and even heart attacks in women⁴?

Not to mention, the younger you start taking The Pill, the more you increase your risk of getting breast cancer later in life⁵.

Maybe you’re not having sex yet, but are exploring other sexual activities, like oral or even sexting. Since you’re not having sex, you should be in the clear right? Wrong.  Sexting isn’t as innocent as it might seem! Studies have shown that teens who engage in sexting are more likely to engage in other risky sexual behavior⁶. And engaging in oral sex is far from safe. Though you will not get pregnant, you are putting yourself at a great risk of getting STD’s like gonorrhea, HIV, Chlamydia, and Syphilis⁷.

You might be thinking the stats are convincing or interesting at least. Or maybe this is old news. What if, instead of following what the culture around you says, you tried something a little daring. Something that would set you apart? What if you practiced chastity?

Most know that if you don’t have sex, or engage in sexual behaviors, then you ae 100% guaranteed to not become pregnant and your risk of contracting an STD is next to none⁸. There are many other benefits to practicing chastity. Did you know that those who remain virgins during their teen years have a greater chance at not experiencing a divorce later in life⁹? By holding off on having sex, you become less likely to engage in risky and delinquent behavior^10,11. And practicing chastity also makes you significantly less likely to become depressed and suicidal^12,13, which means you’ll spend more time being happy and content. Who doesn’t want that?

Practicing chastity can be challenging, but believe me, the pros well outweigh the cons. You’re not in this alone. There are many others out there choosing to truly live a sexually healthy lifestyle that results in a healthier mind and body, as well as healthier relationships and an overall happier life.

Healthy Habits for a Healthy Life

• Educate yourself about the truths of being sexually active, safe sex, STD’s, abortion, and the media’s influence on sexuality
• Know the truth about contraceptives
• How contraceptives effect you long term
• Know which contraception’s are abortifacients
• Watch The Miracle of Life video
• Learn the truths about cohabitating
• Learn about the truths of intimacy
• Practice Chastity
• Learn the about Natural Family Planning Methods to help you understand and have real control over your body
• Tell your school counselor & nurse about LoveFacts.org
• Talk to your friends and family about the information you learned on LoveFacts.org

For these and many other facts go to www.lovefacts.org

Remember, What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You!

1. Nationally Representative CDC Study Finds 1 in 4 Teenage Girls Has a Sexually Transmitted Disease, 2008 National STD Prevention Conference, Press Release, March 11, 2008. Accessed: January 2019.
2. Sarkis Morales-Vidal, MD., Michael J. Schneck, MD., and Jose Biller, MD. Clinical Summary: Oral Contraceptives and Stroke, medlink.com/cip.asp?uid=mlt002go, May 14, 2009.
3. Higher risk of venous thrombosis associated with drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives: a population-based cohort study, Canadian Medical Association, 2011, pp. 1-7.
4. Acute myocardial infraction and combined oral contraceptives: results of an international multicenter case-control study, The Lancet Vol. 349, April 26, 1997; pp. 1202-1208.
5. Dolle, Jessica M. and Daling, Janet R. Risk Factors for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Women Under the Age 45 Years. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention 2009; 18(4) April 2009, pp. 1157-1166.
6. “Sexting and Sexual Behavior in At-Risk Adolescents” Pediatrics 2014;133;e276; originally published online January 6, 2014; DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-1157
7. Oral Sex is Common Among Teens to Prevent STDs and Pregnancy, MedPage Today, September 16, 2005, pp. 1-4
8. Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention: An Abstinence-Centered Randomized Controlled Intervention in a Chilean Public High School, Journal of Adolescent Health, 2005, pp. 64-69.
9. Association of Virginity at Age 18 with Educational, Economic, Social and Health Outcomes in Middle Adulthood, Adolescent & Family Health, Vol. 3, No. 4, 2005, pp. 1-9.
10. Adolescent Sexual Debut and Later Delinquency, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Vol. 36, 2007, pp. 141-152.
11. Non-coital sexual activities among adolescents, The Journal of Adolescent Health, Volume 42, Issue 5, May 2008 Pages 429-532
12. Sexually Active Teenagers Are More Likely to be Depressed and to Attempt Suicide, The Heritage Foundation, June 2, 2003, pp. 1-8.
13. No Strings Attached: The Nature of Casual Sex in College Students, The Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 43, No. 3, August 2006, pp. 255-267.