Even though common sense tells any mature adult that a little sex typically increases the desire for more, it took a formal study for sexperts to admit that the public education craze of encouraging children to have oral sex in order to reduce teen pregnancy and disease, actually has the opposite effect.
-- From "Oral sex often a prelude to intercourse for teens" by Lynne Peeples, Reuters Health 11/2/10
Engaging in oral sex may be a gateway to intercourse for some teens, indirectly raising their risks of sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, according to a new study.
California researchers found that only 9 percent of high school students who started having oral sex at the end of ninth grade had abstained from vaginal sex through the end of 11th grade.
Oral sex is the most common sexual activity among teens, with one in five high school freshmen and more than half of 15 to 19-year-olds reporting they've tried it.
In the new study, [senior researcher Dr. Bonnie L.] Halpern-Felsher and Dr. Anna V. Song of the University of California, Merced, followed more than 600 students attending two northern California high schools from 2002 to 2005, in order to better understand the role oral sex has in the progression of teen sexual behavior.
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From "For Many Teens, Oral Sex Leads to Riskier Activity" by Alan Mozes, HealthDay Reporter 11/1/10
Most teens who engage in oral sex for the first time will have vaginal intercourse within six months, a new poll indicates.
And half the teens who initiate oral sex in ninth grade will have vaginal intercourse before the end of junior year, the survey of California high school students finds.
. . . teens who delayed having oral sex until the end of 11th grade had a 57 percent change of avoiding vaginal intercourse through 11th grade. This could mean that teens who delay oral sex are more likely to delay vaginal sex as well, the authors said.
So, while kids may think of oral sex as "low risk" with respect to sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, its initiation may have a strong predictive tie to future high-risk activities. This finding should guide sex-education and preventive health programs directed toward teens, the authors said.
The study, partially funded by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, is published online Nov. 1 ahead of print in the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine.
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From "Study: Oral Sex Linked to Higher Rates of Teen Intercourse" posted by CBSNews.com staff 11/1/10
Health care providers, parents and educators should directly address oral sex and its risks with teens, according to study researcher Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Francisco.
"I see most of the health policies out there and guidelines for preventive services talking about sex generally, but they do not specify oral sex. That is an important distinction because teens don't consider oral sex to be sex, and many are not aware of the risks involved," Halpern-Felsher said.
"Our study demonstrates that through its relationship with intercourse, oral sex contributes to the total risk associated with sexual activity among teens, including sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy," said Anna Song, also a study researcher and an assistant professor of psychological sciences at the University of California, Merced.
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Click headlines below for previous articles:
Oral Sex Is the New Goodnight Kiss
Oral Sex no Longer 'Safe'
Solution to Teen Pregnancy: Teach Sex in Kindergarten
Teaching Sex to 5-year-olds Reduces Teen Pregnancy?
Planned Parenthood Says "Enjoy Sex" to 10 Year-olds
Planned Parenthood Teaches Sex Acts in Iowa School
Mother Sues School over Sexualization Curriculum
Girl Scouts Advocate Guide Teaching Sex Acts?
Pediatricians: Kids Need Healthier Sex Ed