Romance = safer sex?
March 22, 2008
I am doubt of some opinion about teen-age romance. Some of them claimed that it’s good but some of them say NOT. So I think this article from Sun-Sentinel can help us to determine the right answer for that.
Teen-age romance can be a good thing and so can dating, a large study of youth in grades 7 through 12 has concluded.
An analysis of national data conducted by Child Trends, a research center that focuses on children and youth, found that sexually active teens who identify their relationships with a partner as romantic and who go out socially with that person are more likely to use contraceptives than similar teens in more casual relationships.
This may be because they feel more comfortable talking about contraception with a partner they know and trust, said Jennifer Manlove, a scientist at Child Trends and one of the study’s authors. Among girls, good communication and the quality of the relationship play a role in decision-making. The analysis, taken from information on more than 4,500 unmarried, sexually experienced young people, also found that girls were more likely to use contraception with boys their age than with older males.
The teens were, on average, 16 years old when they first had sex. A fact sheet released by Child Trends contained some sobering news drawn from the study. For example, a teen’s contraceptive use may change from partner to partner. Using birth control consistently in one relationship doesn’t necessarily mean that a young person will do the same with another partner.
Now what say you?