6 Things Your Teen Needs to Know About Sex

health.com:

As awkward as it may be, educating your daughter about sex can keep her healthy--and even save her life. Unfortunately, most teens have different views than their parents when it comes to what constitutes a sex talk. About 90% of parents nationwide say they've spoken to their teens about sex, according to a 2006 ABC News poll. But something is getting lost in translation, because only half of their teens agree. Here are six facts that every teen should know, along with specific ways to get your point across.

Talking point: Using a condom isn't as effective--or as easy--as you think.

Fact: In theory, condoms are 97% effective for preventing pregnancy--which is almost as effective as the Pill. But under real-life circumstances, so many people use them incorrectly or avoid them for one reason or another that the effectiveness of condoms drops to 86%.

Additional advice: "A couple may not put on a condom until the last minute," says Paul Fine, MD, associate professor of gynecology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, "and in the heat of passion, he might not have the control he usually has, so that's never foolproof." Besides, you can get pregnant before ejaculation; so-called pre-ejaculate is "loaded with sperm," says Dr. Fine. A 2002 study of college students documented typical condom misuse, slippage, and breakage. Of the men surveyed, 40% said that they had failed to leave space for ejaculate at the tip of a condom, for instance, and 15% had taken the condom off before completing intercourse.

Keep reading...

Read the whole story: health.com

Comments

[TommyMcCarthy]

I absolutely love the accompanying picture!!

[harriettubman]

And to start communicating early with your children is another. Don't wait to talk about sex when a child is 16, that's too late!!!!! Age appropriate issues from 10 all the way up thru the teen years. With so many perverts out here, including daddies and family members, parents need to talk to children very young about "touching".

[iPolitics]

Someone forward this to Sarah Palin

[kellygrrrl]

too late!

[kellygrrrl]

she reads?

[nathananderson]

OMFG, that is the funniest thing I've ever read on HuffPo.

[rpr]

How can you talk about condoms if you only preach abstinence?

[Wolf Larsen]

You left out number 7......don­'t date Dennis Rodman.

[El Diablo0517]

Because men will give in to whatever women want!

Seriously, it shouldn't be that way. We guys should take more responsibility.

[AtomiClash]

Once again, it is implied that making sure sex is safe is primarily a woman's responsibility. (See the first sentence.) WTF?

[marplesyrup]

I think it gets taken out of context on this page. On the health website, this article is listed under the Mother-Daughter section.

[Badbone]

It is the woman's responsibility. She's the one who faces the most serious consequences.

[kellygrrrl]

if men menstruated or could get pregnant, things would obviously be different.
Times are changing, though. My daughter talks to my husband about her period and other stuff. I know sometimes he is embarrassed or uncomfortable, but he is happy that she trusts him and that she is in a generation that has moved past some of the stigma of sexuality and human anatomy.