Sex is not a bad thing! But when you have sex outside of marriage, you are opening the door to a host of issues – STD’s, broken hearts and unplanned pregnancies to name a few. The good news is that you can experience sex to it’s fullest – within the safety and security of marriage.
Already had sex? Don’t worry! It’s not too late to stop and start taking care of yourself. Everyone has made mistakes, but not learning from your past mistakes can be the biggest mistake of all.
| The decision is up to YOU. No one – not your boyfriend or girlfriend, friends, or family can make this decision for you. |
It’s your chance . . . your chance to start over! You can do it and you are not alone! You are worth waiting for!
How Do I know If I have an STD?
If you have ever had sex you are at risk for having an STD. The more partners you have had the higher the risk.
Some common symptoms are:
- Itching around the vagina and/or discharge from the vagina
- Discharge from the penis for men
- Pain during sex, when urinating and/or in the pelvic area
- Sore throats in people who have oral sex
- Pain in the anus for people who have anal sex
- Chancre sores (painless red sores) on the genital area, anus, tongue and/or throat
- A scaly rash on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet
- Dark urine, loose, light-colored stools, and yellow eyes and skin
- Small blisters that turn into scabs on the genital area
- Swollen glands, fever and body aches
- Unusual infections, unexplained fatigue, night sweats and weight loss
- Soft, flesh-colored warts around the genital area
For further information visit the CDC website
READY TO START A NEW LIFE?
The decision you make today could affect your health the rest of your life. Did you know?
- More than half of all people will have an STD/STI at some point in their lifetime. [1]
- Each year, one in four teens contracts an STD/STI. [2]
- One in two sexually active persons will contact an STD/STI by age 25. [3]
- Youth exposed to sexual content on television are more likely to overestimate the frequency of sexual activity among peers and have more permissive attitudes toward premarital sex. [5]
- 11 out of every 100 women using condoms for protection will become pregnant each year.[6]
Sources 1. Koutsky L. (1997). Epidemiology of genital human papillomavirus infection. American Journal of Medicine, 102(5A), 3-8. 2. Alan Guttmacher Institute. (1994). Sex and America's Teenagers. New York: Alan Guttmacher Institute. 3. Cates JR, Herndon NL, Schulz S L, Darroch JE. (2004). Our voices, our lives, our futures: Youth and sexually transmitted diseases. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Journalism and Mass Communication. 5. American Social Health Association, State of the Nation 2005: Challenges Facing STD Prevention Among Youth – Research, Review, and Recommendations, Research, Triangle Park, NC: ASHA, 2005. 6. Food and Drug Administration 12/03, www.fda.com |
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