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Sex Education
Programs that teach only abstinence-until-marriage while ignoring important lessons on sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy prevention do a disservice to our youth and leave them vulnerable to negative health consequences. Abstinence-only does not prevent adolescents from having sex; it only prevents them from receiving the knowledge they will need to protect their health if they do become sexually active.
Numerous studies have shown that comprehensive sexuality education is an effective strategy in providing adolescents with the "tools, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to make responsible choices about their sexual health."1,2
Comprehensive sexuality education programs that teach about both "abstinence and contraception, including condoms, do not increase sexual activity among teens; rather such programs often delay first intercourse, reduce the frequency of sex and reduce the number of sexual partners." 1,2
- 88% of parents want comprehensive sexuality education programs that encourage abstinence while also providing information on how to protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to be taught in all schools.
- 90% of parents want all schools to teach about how to prevent a pregnancy, birth control pills, condoms, family planning, and the role of preventing pregnancy and STIs.
- 100% of parents say that all health information provided in sexuality education classes should be medically accurate.
Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs Do Not Work
A recent Minnesota Department of Health evaluation of the state’s abstinence-only program, ENABL, found that sexual activity doubled among junior high school participants in the program at three schools between 2001 and 2002. The number of participants who said they would "probably" have sex during high school almost doubled as well. Although it found some positive effects on parent-teen communication, the study found no positive impact of the ENABL program on teen sexual behavior. 3,4
NARAL Pro-Choice Minnesota strongly supports medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sexuality education programs as a vital part of any adolescent pregnancy prevention and health promotion effort.
1. Kirby, D. Emerging Answers: research findings on programs to reduce teen pregnancy. Washington, D.C.: National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, 2001.
2. Minnesota Organization on Adolescent Pregnancy, Prevention and Parenting. Fact sheet, 2006.
3. Healthy Youth Development Prevention Research Center. Division of Adolescent Health & Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, March 2007.
4. Professional Data Analysts, Inc. and Professional Evaluation Services, Minnesota Education Now and Babies Later Evaluation Report 1998-2002 (Minneapolis: Minnesota Department of Health, January 2004).
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