Deciding to have sex is a very personal decision that people should make for themselves, without being pressurised into it. Teenagers generally have very strong sexual urges, which sometimes makes a decision one way or the other difficult.

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Some of the reasons teenagers have sex can include:

• Simply because it feels good
• Curiosity
• Often it gets confused with closeness
• Sometimes it just happens – it is often easier to just do it than to talk about it or to say no
• Peer pressure is tremendous during adolescence and the need for acceptance is great
• Being in love
• A desire to experiment
• Very strong sexual urges

Some questions to ask yourself (whether you are a teenager or not!) before you have sex with someone:

• Am I mature enough to take precautions against STIs and pregnancy?
• Am I ready to take on the responsibilities of parenthood if this sexual encounter produces a child?
• Do I really want to do this at this point in my life?
• Am I prepared for all the emotional feelings sexual relationships usually bring with them?
• Am I being pressurised into doing this by means of all sorts of arguments even though it might not be what I want to do?
• How am I going to feel about this tomorrow morning?

Having sex is not a decision to take lightly, as it can have far-reaching consequences on your life and your health.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24)
 

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