Myths & Facts About Sex

TRUE? Condoms protect from contracting STDs.
FALSE! Research shows that when used the right way all the time, condoms can reduce the risk of STDs, but they cannot eliminate them.

Winer, Rachel L., et al. "Condom Use and the Risk of Genital Human Papillomavirus Infection in Young Women." New England Journal of Medicine 354.25 (2006): 2645-53.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention. Washington, DC: National Institutes of Health, 2001.

TRUE? You can’t contract STDs by doing oral sex.   
FALSE! Research shows that those who engage in oral sex can contract some of the deadliest STDs: Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Genital Herpes, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Hepatitis B and HIV/AIDS.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases Fact Sheets. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/std/HealthComm/fact_sheets.htm

TRUE? Sexual activity makes you feel like an adult.
FALSE! Sexual activity has nothing to do with becoming an adult. Acting mature, being responsible and making wise decisions are ways to show others that you are becoming an adult.

TRUE? Being sexually active will make you popular.
FALSE! Sexual intercourse before marriage isn’t a responsible decision. Sexually active teens often lose the respect of their peers and develop a negative reputation.

TRUE? You can’t get pregnant the first time you have sexual intercourse.
FALSE! Girls can get pregnant the first time; and the younger a teen starts having sex, the greater the risk of pregnancy. In fact, research shows that of girls who first have sex before age 15, almost half of them will get pregnant.

Suellentrop, Katherine and Christine Flanigan. Pregnancy Among Sexually Experienced Teens. Washington, DC: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2002.

TRUE? Your boyfriend or girlfriend will love you more if you engage in sexual activity.
FALSE! Sex and love are not the same. Engaging in sexual activity with someone does not mean that he or she will love you more. In fact, research shows that only one in twelve unmarried teen mothers is actually married to their baby’s father one year after birth.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. A Guide to Discussing Healthy Relationships. June 9, 2008.

TRUE? You must have sexual intercourse before you get married to make sure that you’re sexually compatible.
FALSE! IF two people are in a loving, committed relationship, they don’t need to worry about proving their sexual compatibility before marriage. In fact, research shows that married couples actually enjoy sex more!

Michael, Robert T., et al. Sex in America: A Definitive Survey. Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1994.
Waite, Linda J. and Maggie Gallagher. The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially. New York: Doubleday, 2000.

TRUE? Everyone’s doing it.
FALSE! 53% of high school students have never had sexual intercourse.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance- United States, 2005: Surveillance Summaries," MMWR 2006;55(No. SS-5).

ThinkSmart Resources for Parents of Teenagers:

Flyer for Parents: Talk to your teen about abstinence until marriage

ThinkSmart Info: All about our Health Education programs