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Report on National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy Survey
Smart girls decide for themselves™.
In coordination with the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy on May 6, 2009, SmartGirl posted this survey in the hopes that those who took it would think a little more critically about the possibility of teen pregnancy. As you read this report, take time to think about your own physical limits so that when the time comes, you're not too surprised to know what you're ready for. Think about your values. If you're not sure, find someone you trust to talk it over with. With a little planning, we trust that you'll make great decisions that you'll be ready for!
Here's a little more information about the SmartGirls who provided the data for this survey by filling out our questions:
* A total of 188 people responded to this survey.
* Of those 188 responses, only 1 was from a boy and 4 chose not to answer.
* Oldest children were the most frequent responders at 76 responses.
Using the graph below, we were able to see that 12-year-olds were the most represented age group with over 28 responses, followed by 15-year-olds with slightly fewer than 28 responses. We even had a couple responses from an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old, and several responses from people over the age of 20.
For the rest of the survey, we broke down the age range into "Pre-teen (12 and under)," "Early teen (13 through 15)," Late teen (16 through 19)," and "Post-teen (20 and up)."
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| Age of Survey Respondents |
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| Look along the bottom to see the ages. The age with the tallest bar had the most responses! For example, the tallest bar is "12," with over 28 people in that group. |
We asked SmartGirls to pick one of the following options:
(a) Bring it on! I'm ready to tough out the hard stuff and commit, baby!
(b) I'm ready, but let's not get too serious, please.
(c) I'll try a relationship, but I probably won't care about it very much.
(d) I have other priorities right now, but I'm not totally closed off to the idea.
(e) NO! Ahhhh! Get me away from all relationships!
We broke down the responses by age group to see whether there was one age group where relationships suddenly became more important.
We hypothesized that older SmartGirls would be more interestd in relationships, and therefore more likely to feel ready. So, we predicted that pre-teens would be less interested in relationships that late-teens.
We found:
* The most popular answer overall was "I'm ready, but let's not get too serious, please," with 37.50% of all responses. That's a little over 1 in 3!
* The majority of SmartGirls from every age felt that they were ready for a relationship, but the proportion of girls who want a long-term, committed relationship did increase for older girls. Only 1 in 3 early teens wanted long-term relationships, while almost 1 in 2 late teens wanted long-term relationships.
* Pre-teens and post-teens were most likely to be "not interested" in a relationship at the moment, and they were also the two groups most likely to say that relationships were "not a priority." Why do you think relationships are more important in the teen years than for older or younger SmartGirls?
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| Are you ready for a relationship? |
age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
readyrelationship2
|
| Yes, long-term |
16.67% | 36.11% | 45.10% | 53.85% | 34.78% |
| Nothing serious |
47.92% | 38.89% | 31.37% | 15.38% | 37.50% |
| I'd try it |
6.25% | 9.72% | 3.92% | 0.00% | 6.52% |
| Not a priority |
20.83% | 13.89% | 15.69% | 23.08% | 16.85% |
| Not interested |
8.33% | 1.39% | 3.92% | 7.69% | 4.35% |
| [column totals] |
26.09% | 39.13% | 27.72% | 7.07% | 100% |
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| To read this table, pick one of the categories along the top (age), and read DOWN to see what % of people from that age group chose which level of being ready for a relationship. Compare each age group at different levels across the table. |
The options were:
(a) All the time
(b) At least once a day
(c) At least once a week
(d) Sometimes it comes up in a month or so
(e) I just never really think about it
We wondered if the answer would change depending on whether or not a SmartGirl already knew people her age who were pregnant. They were asked, "Do you know a lot of girls your age who have been pregnant?" and they could answer "Yes," "I don't know," or "No."
We found:
* SmartGirls overall think about getting pregnant only about once per month.
* Way more of the girls who know people their age who have been pregnant think about pregnancy. 1 in 5 girls who do know girls their age who have been pregnant say think think about pregnancy all the time, while only 1 in 25 girls think about it if they don't know people their age who have been pregnant.
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| Based on whether or not you know anyone who has been pregnant, how often do you think about pregnancy? |
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knowpreg2
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No | Not sure | Yes | [row totals] |
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thinkpregnant2
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| Never |
37.84% | 29.41% | 17.57% | 27.88% |
| Monthly |
32.43% | 41.18% | 29.73% | 32.12% |
| Weekly |
22.97% | 11.76% | 22.97% | 21.82% |
| Daily |
2.70% | 11.76% | 6.76% | 5.45% |
| Always |
4.05% | 5.88% | 22.97% | 12.73% |
| [column totals] |
44.85% | 10.30% | 44.85% | 100% |
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| Compare girls who know someone who has been pregnant vs. those who don't by looking down the column and seeing how the group is dividing between the different frequencies of thinking about pregnancy. Lower down the table means more frequent. |
We found:
* Over 1/3 of all the responses want MORE than most SmartGirls their age, while 1/3 think they probably want about the same. Less than 1/5 want less.
* One reason why there were so few responses that say they want less out of a relationship than most people their age could be because those people aren't interested in relationships, so they didn't bother to take this survey.
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| Do you want the same things out of a relationship as most people your age? |
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| The category with the largest pie slice had the most responses, while the smallest pie slice had the fewest. |
We figured that it wasn't fair to ask this question as a whole. We figured older girls were more likely to say yes, and younger girls were more likely to say no. We tested this hypothesis below.
Here's what we found:
* Overall, SmartGirls were pretty evenly split about having had a relationship before. 56% said yes and 44% said no.
* As SmartGirls got older, they were more likely to have been in a romantic relationship. Check out how the percentage of girls to have been in a romantic relationship goes up as we look across ages: 32% (Pre-teen), 53% (Early teen), 74% (Late teen), and 86% (Post-teen).
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| Have you ever dated or been in a romantic relationship before? |
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age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
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hadrelationship2
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| yes |
31.71% | 53.23% | 74.42% | 85.71% | 56.25% |
| no |
68.29% | 46.77% | 25.58% | 14.29% | 43.75% |
| [column totals] |
25.62% | 38.75% | 26.88% | 8.75% | 100% |
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| This graph sorts whether someone was in a relationship (yes or no) by age (pre-teen to post-teen). Compare "yes" and "no" for each age; for each age, which answer was most frequent (highest percentage)? |
We allowed our SmartGirls to select as many options as they wanted in order to tell us what they feel like they are ready for. As expected, the distance increased with age.
What we were curious about was whether or not higher limits were associated with moving faster than planned in a previous relationship. We asked SmartGirls if they had ever done something physically that they didn't expect to at first in their relationship.
In terms of what SmartGirls feel comfortable with, we found:
* The majority of SmartGirls are comfortable going up to kissing and french kissing (68%)
* 1 in 5 SmartGirls feel ready to explore touching private areas without sex or oral sex.
* Only about 1 out of every 9 SmartGirls feel comfortable with oral sex or intercourse, and most of those responses were from the oldest age groups.
As for whether or not they had done something beyond their limits before, we found:
* While 1 in 5 SmartGirls declare that they aren't physical with others so it's a moot point, over half of all SmartGirls HAVE done something physical in a relationshipt that they didn't expect to do beforehand. 1 in 20 of those girls have had intercourse; be firm about your limits!
For the 23% of SmartGirls who are physically involved but haven't passed their limits yet, that's awesome! We hope that by taking this survey you were inspired to really figure out what your limits are to make sure that you never feel pressured by the spur of the moment to do something you don't want to do.
For those 60% of SmartGirls who are going beyond their limits, make sure that you and your partners verbally ask each other whether it's OK to move on to something you haven't done before. If you find yourself going over your limits and your partner refuses to ask, get help! Make sure you know each other's limits, and always respect the slower pace. It's never OK to pressure someone into going farther than their comfort zone. Also, keep in mind that comfort zones change both ways, and that's normal and OK, too.
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| How far do you feel comfortable to go at this time in your life? |
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expected2
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No, I'm not physical with others [1] | No, hasn't come up [2] | No, we have limits [3] | Yes, with consent [4] | Yes, without consent [5] | [row totals] |
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ready2
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| None |
5.41% | 3.41% | 0.00% | 0.79% | 0.44% | 1.86% |
| Up to hugging |
48.11% | 32.95% | 24.53% | 22.83% | 23.56% | 29.72% |
| Up to kissing |
41.62% | 45.45% | 33.96% | 33.86% | 32.44% | 36.36% |
| Up to touching private areas |
3.24% | 10.23% | 30.19% | 26.77% | 26.67% | 20.40% |
| Up to oral sex |
0.54% | 3.41% | 5.66% | 7.48% | 7.56% | 5.36% |
| Up to intercourse |
1.08% | 4.55% | 5.66% | 8.27% | 9.33% | 6.29% |
| [column totals] |
21.56% | 10.26% | 12.35% | 29.60% | 26.22% | 100% |
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| In this table, boxes farther to the right indicate that it was more likely that the person did something they didn't expect to within a relationship. FBoxes farther down show preference for more intense physical activity. |
Some SmartGirls have gone over their limits, but some haven't even approached them. We wanted to know what was really happening, comfort zone or no.
We found:
* 40% of all SmartGirls have only ever just been together, held hands, or hugged.
NOTE: this is MORE than the percentage of girls who feel comfortable doing so!
* Almost 30% of SmartGirls have kissed someone (including pecks)!
NOTE: this is LESS than the percentage of girls who feel comfortable doing so.
Do you see anything else interesting in the graph below? What can you find?
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| How far have you gone in a relationship? |
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age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
|
howfargo2
|
| None |
7.64% | 3.85% | 2.52% | 0.00% | 3.51% |
| Up to hugging |
50.00% | 40.66% | 35.96% | 29.57% | 39.15% |
| Up to kissing |
25.00% | 29.40% | 30.28% | 27.83% | 28.83% |
| Up to touching private areas |
10.42% | 18.41% | 18.93% | 22.61% | 17.87% |
| Up to oral sex |
4.17% | 3.30% | 7.57% | 12.17% | 5.96% |
| Up to intercourse |
2.78% | 4.40% | 4.73% | 7.83% | 4.68% |
| [column totals] |
15.32% | 38.72% | 33.72% | 12.23% | 100% |
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| Read across the table to go up in age, and down the table to go up in experience. |
We also broke this question down by age.
We found:
* As SmartGirls get older, they are more likely to think about physical stuff less black and white and say "it depends on the relationship."
* Most SmartGirls think that physical stuff is less important to a relationship. Younger SmartGirls are even more likely to say that physical stuff is less important.
* The age group that thinks physical stuff is most important is the post-teen age group. Why do you think that is?
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| How important to you is it to do physical stuff in a relationship? |
|
age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
|
important2
|
| More important [1] |
25.00% | 30.99% | 26.00% | 40.00% | 28.89% |
| Depends on the relationship [2] |
22.73% | 32.39% | 38.00% | 40.00% | 32.22% |
| Less important [3] |
52.27% | 36.62% | 36.00% | 20.00% | 38.89% |
| [column totals] |
24.44% | 39.44% | 27.78% | 8.33% | 100% |
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| To read this table, look across and to the right for older age groups, and downward for decreasing importance. |
SmartGirls could choose how long they wanted their next relationship to last. We wondered if having had a relationship before affected how long they wanted their future relationship to be.
SmartGirls told us:
* 60% have had a relationship. Of those, almost half wanted their next relationship to last forever!
* 40% had never had a relationship. Of those, almost half wanted their next relationship to last less than a year.
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| How long do you want your next relationship to last? |
|
hadrelationship2
|
yes | no | [row totals] |
|
wantlong2
|
| No interest [1] |
4.55% | 13.33% | 8.11% |
| Less than a month [2] |
4.55% | 3.33% | 4.05% |
| Less than a year [3] |
21.59% | 48.33% | 32.43% |
| A few years [4] |
19.32% | 13.33% | 16.89% |
| Many years [5] |
1.14% | 1.67% | 1.35% |
| Forever! [6] |
48.86% | 20.00% | 37.16% |
| [column totals] |
59.46% | 40.54% | 100% |
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| This information is sorted by whether or not a SmartGirl has ever had a relationship before. Whether or not they have had a relationship is the top row. Each row downward represents a longer lasting relationship. |
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Most SmartGirls had never had a relationship before! As you might expect, as the number of relationships increases, girls are less likely to have had that many.
|
| How many relationships have you had? |
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| Along the bottom of the graph, each number stands for "# of relationships." The numbers to the left of the graph show how many responses chose which number on the bottom. The higher the bar, the more responses, and the lower the bar, the fewer responses. |
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Again, most SmartGirls have never had a relationship. However, after that, most SmartGirls' longest relationships last a few months. Some SmartGirls said they've had relationships that have been several years or more! Congratulations to those SmartGirls. That must take a lot of hard work.
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| What's the longest relationship you've had? |
|
| The tallest bar is the category with the most repsonses in it; so, for example, for most SmartGirls who took this survey, they have never had a relationship before. After that, the longest relationship for most SmartGirls is a few months. |
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As for shortest relationships, very few SmartGirls have had shortest relationships that reach even one year! That's to be expected. Many SmartGirls' shortest relationships were only a week long, a month, and even just one day.
|
| What's the shortest relationship you've ever had? |
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| The lower bar indicates few people in that category, and a higher bar indicates more people in that category. For example, most people have never had a relationship, and the fewest people have a shortest relationship of more than 3 years. |
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Most SmartGirls think about relationships "always" or at least once every day. This doesn't seem to change much no matter what age you are! So, if you find yourself thinking about crushes non-stop... you're not alone. 1 in 2 out of every SmartGirl you know is doing the same thing.
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| How often do you think about being in a relationship? |
|
age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
|
thinkrelationship2
|
| Always |
41.30% | 42.65% | 32.00% | 28.57% | 38.20% |
| Daily |
6.52% | 26.47% | 34.00% | 50.00% | 25.28% |
| Weekly |
21.74% | 16.18% | 20.00% | 7.14% | 17.98% |
| Monthly |
17.39% | 14.71% | 8.00% | 7.14% | 12.92% |
| Never |
13.04% | 0.00% | 6.00% | 7.14% | 5.62% |
| [column totals] |
25.84% | 38.20% | 28.09% | 7.87% | 100% |
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| The top categories show the age, and the categories on the left show how often you think about a relationship. Pick a category on the left and follow it in a straight line sideways, and pick a category on top and follow it down until the lines match up. |
Many SmartGirls did not think this was a clear-cut answer. They had a lot to say! Here are some examples of the MANY responses we got to this question:
* No, because we are still young!
* Yes, but not as a form of contracpetion!
* Undecided. If they feel like they're ready to have sex with someone, they should be ready to accept the consequences of caring for a child.
* No! You could die, and so could the baby. Or the baby would come out defective.
* Who am I to stop them, even if it's not something I would personally do?
* It depends on what's best healthwise for the mother.
* Only if they had gotten pregnant from, say, being raped. Not if they made the choice or having sex and were irresponsible enough to get pregnant, though.
* You shouldn't have sex if you would ever think of abortion as an option.
* It's murder, but I think that it should be used for teenage girls going through a hard time.
* It is the right of the individual to choose.
* Yes, because otherwise it would ruin their life.
* Yes! There is obviously much debate about abortions, but I'm pro-choice. Teens must consider the consequences of their actions (abortion is not to be taken lightly) before they run off and sleep with whoever they want.
* Yes. At our age, we can't really handle the pressures of abortion and there are lots of health issues related to teenage pregnancies.
* I don't really care as long as their Mom, Dad, and partner know.
* I don't think anyone should get an abortion because they ought to learn their lesson. However, they should get one if they aren't ready for the big responsibilities and job of raising a human being.
* No. We have aright to fix mistakes but I would never kill a beautiful life.
* Yes. It's the woman's choice. Plus, if there wasn't abortion, women would go to desperate measures to get rid of the baby and might die.
* No. Even if the baby is the product of rape and the mother doesn't want it, she can put the baby up for adoption.
* If it's my age at 12, then yes, but 14 and older? No way!
For those SmartGirls who didn't feel that it was necessary to explain their answers, 68% said "no." However, by the late teen years, you can see the opinion start to shift. By the time SmartGirls are out of their teens, the majority (70%) say that, yes, it is OK for their peers!
It seems like most younger girls simply think their age group shouldn't be having sex at all, so they certainly shouldn't be having abortions. Do older SmartGirls just feel more comfortable with sex? Is that why they're more comfortable with their peers having abortions? What do you think?
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| Is it OK for others your age to get an abortion (sorted by age)? |
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age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
|
abortionok2
|
| Yes |
23.33% | 24.00% | 37.50% | 72.73% | 32.06% |
| No |
76.67% | 76.00% | 62.50% | 27.27% | 67.94% |
| [column totals] |
22.90% | 38.17% | 30.53% | 8.40% | 100% |
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| The answers, "yes" and "no," and listed on top. The ages go up as you read down the column. The higher the percentage, the more people in that age group chose that response. |
For adoption, there was a huge majority of you who said that it was OK for others your age. But like abortion, a lot of you had more to say. Here are a few:
* If they feel they aren't ready, then it's their choice.
* Yes. Sometimes, even though you love the child, you know you can't give the child the moral support it needs. You have to do what's best for the child.
* No. It's their responsibility.
* I think it's OK because some people aren't qualitified enough to raise a baby properly.
* Undecided. If they feel they're ready to have sex, they should be ready to care for a child.
* No! We're young and shouldn't be getting pregnant!
* Yes. This way, the baby is going to a loving family who can ultimately take better care of the child than a teen mother could.
* It depends on their situation, like how much family support they have and finances.
* Yes, because at least the baby gets a chance to live.
* No. If they go through with having the baby, they should let their parents or close relatives keep it.
* No. When they get older they will regret giving up their child for adoption.
* No. How would you like it if your mother and father put you up for adoption?
* If that person is not able to take care of the child, then the child may be in better care with someone else. Though, I completely think a child is almost always better off with their parents, regardless of income and age.
* No. If you're going to put the baby up for adoption, you could've just aborted it in the first place.
* No. They should keep what they worked hard for.
* Yes. At our age, most of us can't cope with the pressures of having a baby, school, and many more issues.
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| Is it OK for others your age to put their baby up for adoption? |
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| The largest pie slice was the category with the most answers, and the smallest pie slice was the category with the fewest answers. |
More so than any other option offered, SmartGirls said that it was OK to keep the baby (86%). But if you closely at why they think so, you will see that "yes" and "no" hide a lot of diversity. Check it out:
* If it's OK with their parents, go ahead and keep it, but think about what will happen before you have a baby!
* No! We shouldn't be getting pregnant!
* Most of the kids I know who have gotten pregnant or got someone pregnant, only one of them took care of their child. The others just dropped them off with whoever just so they can go out, so... yes, but if and only if the parent is responsible.
* Yes, if they truly feel capable of parenting.
* Yes, if you want to be driven nuts; OK, your opinion.
* Yes. If you laid down and made it, you should be able to raise it.
* Yes. Not keeping your baby because you have goals you want to accomplish in your life that you can't with a baby seems selfish. I think no matter what, this person will always regret giving up precious time with their child.
* No. They're too young.
* Yes. It will help them grow up, mature, and get their lives in order.
* No. They'll ruin their life!
* If they have the support and help the baby needs, sure, but if not, adoption would be better.
* As long as they are over 18, the choice is theirs. Under 18 shouldn't have a choice, and should get abortions.
* No. Kids my age haven't had a chance to see what life is about. Some families are not supportive and helpful in these situations.
* Yes. Everyone can make ends meet somehow, even with help from the state and other organizations.
* It depends on the support system. I don't think you should keep the baby if your partner is abusive, because the child shouldn't have to go through that.
* Yes. It's the teenager's baby. It is growing inside of her. She can do whatever she wants with it.
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| Is it OK for others your age to keep their baby if they become pregnant or get someone pregnant? |
|
age2
|
Pre-teen [1] | Early teen [2] | Late teen [3] | Post-teen [4] | [row totals] |
|
keepok2
|
| Yes |
80.65% | 78.00% | 97.83% | 92.31% | 86.43% |
| No |
19.35% | 22.00% | 2.17% | 7.69% | 13.57% |
| [column totals] |
22.14% | 35.71% | 32.86% | 9.29% | 100% |
|
| The answers to this question, "yes" or "no," head each of the columns. Going down the columns indicates groups that are of increasing age. See "other" responses below. |
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The biggest group of you say that you would keep the baby, but over 1 in 4 are undecided. Maybe reading through the reasons above can help you figure out where you stand! It's always OK to change your mind, as long as you can support your opinion with a reason!
|
| What would you want to happen if you became pregnant or got someone pregnant? |
|
| The different options for what someone might do are listed down the left side. The exact number of people for each response is listed in the column labeled "count," and the percentage of all responses in that category is in the column labeled "percent." |
This question left a blank so that SmartGirls could be more specific about their answers. Many of you felt comfortable giving an age or an age range, and for those SmartGirls, the minimum age was between 17 and 20. For quite a few SmartGirls, age had nothing to do with it.
SmartGirls think pregnancy should only come when both parents are ready to raise a child, in a stable financial situation, with the support of family and friends, perhaps married, with a good education, and/or with lots of lifetime dreams already fulfilled.
|
| What's the minimum age you think is best before someone considers getting pregnant or getting someone pregnant? |
|
| The tallest bars indicate the categories with the most responses, while the shortest bars indicate the categories with the fewest responses. Read across to the approximate number on the left side of the graph to see what the height means. |
The first person most of you would tell is your significant other. That makes a lot of sense, and it takes a lot of guts!
A lot of you would actually tell a friend first. This is also a great idea, because you can count getting the support and reassurance you need.
The third most common choice was parents, and that takes a lot of bravery indeed! We're happy that so many of you feel comfortable talking to your parents about such important moments in life.
Don't forget about the other possibilities: trusted adults, hotlines, and other relatives, such as siblings or aunts and uncles. While a lot of you feel like you can deal with the pregnancy yourself, it's always nice to have someone to talk to, even if it's just an anonymous voice on the other end of the phone!
|
| Who would you tell FIRST if you found out you were pregnant? |
|
| The higher the bar, the more people who chose that category. See the different categories along the bottom of the graph. The numbers on the left side of the graph show the number of responses. Match the height of the bar with the approximate number. |
Luckily, the majority of you know how you would go about setting in motion whatever it is that you would want to do if you got pregnant. For those of you who don't, you can try talking about it with your parents, guidance counselors, health teachers, youth group leaders, or health planning organizations.
Quite a few of you feel too young to start thinking about this stuff, and that's OK. Just make sure that when you start feeling ready to get physical that you know your limits and know how to deal with accidents and consequences!
|
| Do you know what to do in the event that you become pregnant or get someone pregnant? |
|
| The categories are, "Yes, exactly;" "Yes, kind of;" "Not really;" "No;" and "I don't care." The taller bars indicate the most popular responses. |
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Fortunately, most SmartGirls would tell their parents. It makes perfect sense that so many of you would feel reluctant. Try talking to your parents about it BEFORE this situation comes up, even if you're not physically active, so that you can begin to trust each other with the topic and learn how to communicate about it. You might even be surprised how much your parents can relate to you!
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| Would you tell your parents if you found out that you were pregnant or got someone pregnant? |
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A lot of you are out there trying to figure everything out on your own. Why not try a buddy system? Find at least one person to talk to you about your hopes, fears, the stuff you've heard, and the stuff you've experienced. We're glad to see that a lot of you are already talking to parents and friends. Some of you are even seeking help from religion and significant others! While we're not sure that only talking to significant others is the best (it's kind of like keeping it to yourself, isn't it?), it's a great start.
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| Who do you go to for an opinion on how to deal with physical relationships? |
|
| The larger pie slices indicate that the most people chose that category. Each slice is named on top of it! |
We've all lived different lives and we all have different experiences and pieces of wisdom that no one else has. Here is a chance for some SmartGirls to share their advice with you.
Here are some things SmartGirls had to say for girls who are considering sex but haven't tried it yet. You don't have to read it all now. Feel free to come back and look throug it at your own pace:
* The main thing is to make sure you're ready and that you have spoken to your parents about it beforehand. Also, make sure it's worth the consequences that can come along with it in the long run, e.g. teenage pregnancy, STIs and stuff.
* If you're not ready, don't do it. Guys will tell you anything.
* Sex can be very confusing. It can be confused with love. I believe sex should be part of a loving relationship between ADULTS who understand the feelings that come along with sex and how they can affect them.
* Wait for the right one to come around, because if you lose it now, you're going to regret it. The person you lost it to might turn out to be just using you for sex, but if you do, remember: just live your life and don't regret anything.
* This is something to really put a lot of attention to, especially if you're being pressured by peers and the media. Teenagers are always going to have sex, but most of them will do it for the wrong reasons. Understand that sex is an important part of life, but it's not something you want to do early on. You want to share it with a person that you know you LOVE and they LOVE you.
* I'd say if I could go back... wait til you're married. It's better to just wait it out.
* DON'T! If the person you are with can't wait for you, you shouldn't be with them. :)
* Use birth control!
* Don't do it unless you're absolutely sure you're ready for the consequences. I've had a lot of friends who had to drop out of school to take care of their kids.
* Look and ask before you touch (you don't want bumps on you, do you?)
* If that's what you want, then go for it, but make sure you aren't going to regret it in the long run. USE A CONDOM!
* Be careful. Be safe. Birthcontrol is no 100%. Protect yourself.
* I would encourage you not to have sex because a lot of negative effects can happen from it. I know because it happened in my family.
* Wait until you're ready AND your partner's ready.
* Once you start, it's hard to go back.
* Make sure you are over 16. Under 16 is illegal. Make sure both of you are ready for it. Don't force yourself. Your partner will understand.
* My best advice for someone who is thinking about sex but hasn't had it yet would be for them to wait. Wait until you know you have the right person. I have been in a relationship for about a year and a half, and now I'm happily engaged and I just had sex maybe a week ago. I waited until I figured out what my feelings for that person were before I did anything. That is the best advice: just wait.
* If you are going to do it, use condoms. You don't want to end up being Juno!
* If you are younger, like 13-15, I believe you should wait. You may think you love your boyfriend now, but a lot of times, childhood relationships do not last. You do not want to have sex and regret it later. Even if you really believe you both are madly in love, you should still wait until you are both older. I, personally, think that it is better if two people who are willing to have sex together want to express LOVE and not just sexual feelings, they should be together for more than a year or so. You should never just jump into the bed with anyone. There are too many risks that people just don't think about. Also, if it does happen, make sure you're on birth control, and even if you are, use a condom.
* Make sure you're ready to have a baby and that you will stand by each other no matter what happens, because a child wants a mom and a dad, not a single parent.
* Only if you're absolutely read, of age, have protection, and have discussed the situation with your partner thoroughtly, should you have sex. Don't be rushed into anything, and if your partner truly loves and respects you, he'll wait.
* If you want to have sex with your partner, you should first find out how to use protection and how you can get STDs and all that kind of stuff. If you want the best sex ever, you should wait til marriage.
* If you even have to think twice about it, then you probably aren't ready. Also, if you're too scared to buy tampons for yourselv, you are probably even more embarrassed to buy condoms. So really, really be sure that you're ready.
* Talk to your parents. I know that you think they are going to be awful about it, but they can get you access to birth control, condoms, and regular STI/STD testing. If you're old enough to have sex, then you're old enough to be responsible about your sexual health and that of your partner.
* Do what you want, but make sure you use protection!
* You are not a ho if you can tell your mom everything you have done or want to do. It's really good to have a relationship like that with your mom because she can help you get birth control and she will have more trust in you for coming up to her. I love my mom and she has helped me out a lot. Me and her can sit there and talk and joke about everything.
* Understand the risks, plan ahead with things like condoms and birth control, and wiat until you're ready. Wait until you're at least 17, because your body isn't fully developed yet.
* Take things slow. Only have sex if you're really ready. When you're ready, don't be afraid of it. It can be really good or really bad. Try different positions. Don't get too attached because you never know if the person will stay true forever. Always use protection!!! ... unless you're trying to get pregnant, but don't do that just to keep the other person in a relationship with you. It does not work.
* Find out if the other person has a disease first (STI or STD). Be safe.
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* Condoms and birth control. There is no need for teens to get pregnant with so much out there for them not to. Not having sex is the best way to ensure that you won't get pregnant or get someone pregnant.
* Use condoms, go on the pill, don't have sex in the first place.
* Use protection at all times. Think of it like this: it's $4 to buy condoms, and tens of thousands of dollars to raise a baby. And ladies, men aren't the only ones who can buy condoms. Be an advocate for yourself.
* I'm on birth control and I make my partner use a condom or pull out.
* Plan ahead and understand how your parnter feels about abortion. Wear condoms and take birth control. Simple as that.
* I stay away from people that want to have sex because sometimes protection does not work. The condom can slip off, and may not work at all.
* Wait until you get married to have sex, and then you don't have to worry about unwanted pregnancy.
* Don't have sex until you're 20 or so.
* Be safe. Make sure you both know what you're doing. Know what can happen if you're not careful.
* Make a plan before you do it. Don't have sex. Use condoms if you do.
* I take birth control and ensure I use a condom when on antibiotics.
* The most safe way is to use a condom. Birth control may also help, but it's not 100% effective, and it's a pill that you must take every day, and it can cause you to gain weight. My opinion, a condom is the safest and most effective way. Just don't double wrap it... that actually increases the chances it will break.
* Talk to your partner. Don't be shy about birth control, and educate yourself!
* Condoms can break, and birth control pills have to be taken the right way or else they won't work. So even with protection, which helps, there's still the chance that you might get pregnant. Just don't have sex.
* Explain the consequences!
* Refuse to have unsafe sex.
* Just have a nice steady relationship, at a point where you're just holding hands, with maybe a little bit of kissing here and there. Enjoy it.
* I've already had a baby. I thought I was ready, but I wasn't. Use birth control pills or a diaphram, use some sort of protection, not JUST condoms. They don't work 100% of the time.
* Abstinence, but that doesn't always work -- you can fall off the wagon. If you really must have sex, use condoms.
* I'm on the shot. I take it every 3 months.
* The best way to prevent getting pregnant is by, of course, not having sex. Then, of course, there are a lot of birth control options, such as condoms for men, and the ring and female condoms for women. There's also the dimple shot, and there's always the pill.
* Just don't ahve sex! At least not until marriage.
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If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send a SmartGirl Mentor a message! We will listen and try our best to help. You can reach us by emailing sgmentor@gmail.com. Have a wonderful day, and be safe!
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