Healthy Sexual Practices

The gift of our sexuality is so special. Security in marriage keeps women honored and protected. Our sexuality is so much more than sex itself. It is emotional, physical, social, intellectual and spiritual. The fear of getting pregnant, contracting a STD, going against my values, and abandonment by my partner is real. These fears decrease when sexual activity is delayed.

Abstinence is the only 100% effective way of preventing pregnancy and eliminating the fears previously mentioned. If you decide to practice abstinence, you decide to delay having sex until you are married. Complete abstinence means avoiding all types of genital contact (vaginal, anal, and oral). By practicing complete abstinence, you can be positive that you will not become pregnant or contract a sexually transmitted infection.

Data has shown that teens who delay sex until marriage are less likely to contract a sexually transmitted infection, to have children outside of marriage, to live in poverty and welfare dependence as adults, to become depressed and attempt suicide, to be expelled from school, and to drop out of school. Teens practicing abstinence are more likely to attend and graduate from college. They are also more likely to have a stable and enduring marriage as adults.

In order for us to truly appreciate, value, and respect our bodies, we first need to learn more about how our bodies are designed. Your gift of fertility gives you the unique ability to understand and appreciate your body. By understanding and interpreting our body’s natural cycle, we are in control of our fertility. (Learn more about our Fertility Awareness Program.)

 

REFERENCE:

Rector, Robert (2005, October). Teenage sexual abstinence and academic achievement. Retrieved January 23, 2009, from The Heritage Foundation website.

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We offer you a safe environment and the pregnancy resources you need. Call 504.831.3117 or email our center to request a time.