Abstinence Protect your body, heart and mind

Introduction First Choice Pregnancy Resource Center

Get the facts!  Not everyone is doing it!  Less than half of high school students are sexually active  If everyone was doing it, there would be a lot more pregnancies at your school.

Why abstinence? Why abstinence? It is the only choice that completely protects your body, heart, and mind.

Keeps Your Body Safe  Prevents pregnancy  Prevents STDs*  No medications, devices, or side-effects involved

Keeps Your Heart & Mind Safe  Sex is an adult activity!  Limits intimacy  Decreases loss with break in relationship (oxytocin, vasopressin)  Promotes stability of future marriage*

Because it’s the LAW  Legal age in TEXAS to consent to sex is 17  Sexual Assault, Aggravated Sexual Assault

Teen Pregnancy  Only 30% of teen mothers have a diploma at age 30  Daughters of teen moms are twice as likely to become teen moms themselves  Sons of teen moms are three times as likely to go to prison  Teenage moms are at higher risk of depression  Babies of teenage moms have an overall greater risk of physical, social, and behavioral problems

STDs *

 27 different STI/STDs, many have several types  1 in 4 sexually active people under the age of 25 will be infected with an STI Get the facts!

STDs  Bacterial – Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis  Viral – Herpes, HPV, HIV/Aids, Hepatitis B  Parasitical – Trichomoniasis

Symptoms  There may not be ANY early symptoms  Flu-like symptoms  Pain, discharge, sores, painful urination  Can lead to cancer, organ damage, and even death.

Transmission  Sexual Intercourse- Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Herpes, HPV, Hep B, HIV  Childbirth- Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, HPV, Hep B, HIV  OTHER- Herpes, HPV, Hep B, HIV (IV drug use, bodily fluids (blood, breast milk), contact with infected skin)

Gonorrhea Syphilis

STD Statistics  The CDC estimates 19 million new infections each year-50% of those in people years old.  Bowie County is the 3 rd highest in the state for gonorrhea diagnoses and 9th highest in the state for HIV diagnoses per 100,000 people.

STD Statistics  STDs produce problems with a person's immediate and longterm health, fertility, and make HIV infection more likely.  It is estimated that undiagnosed STDs cause 24,000 women to become infertile each year.

Overcoming the difficulties of Abstinence Long-term comitment: HAVE A PLAN! Know your boundaries! Social pressure: Group dates, avoid drugs & alcohol. Surround yourself with like-minded friends Hormones: Again-Rememeber your boundaries! Fear of losing relationship: Is that person respecting you? Is that person worth it? Only 2% of High School relationships make it to marriage.

Focus on your future!

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