Making Healthy Sexual Decisions

Intro	Emergency Contraception
Talking With Your Partner	Sexual Orientation
Getting Advice & What to Ask	Quiz: Are You Ready for Sex?

You may be thinking about what it means to be involved in a sexual relationship. As a young adult, it's normal to think about sex, have sexual feelings, and have a desire to learn more about your own body. Deciding to have a sexual relationship is an important decision since it involves both your body and your emotions. You need to make sure that it is the right decision for you. It's always good to have a trusted adult to talk to.

What should I think about before I decide to have sex?

There are many things that are important to think about before you decide to have sex, including whether this is what you want and whether this is the right time in your life. You should also think about how you will feel afterwards. It should be a decision made without any pressure from your partner or friends.

You should never let others pressure you into having sex if you don't want to.

• The decision to have sex for the first time (and every time after) is yours, not anyone else's!
• Remember that it's completely okay to wait to have sex.

Young women choose to wait to have sex for many reasons, including wanting to wait until they are older or married, because they are not sure if it is what they want, because of their religious beliefs, or because they don't want to deal with the possibility of getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) or getting pregnant.

What do I need to know if I'm sexually active or I'm thinking about becoming sexually active?

Young women have to make lots of decisions about sex, including whether to abstain (not have sex), or become, or continue being, sexually active.

If you are sexually active, you'll also need to think about the:

• Gender of your sexual partner(s)
• Kind of relationship you have with them
• Type of contraception and sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention methods you use

Next: Talking With Your Partner

Written by the CYWH Staff at Children's Hospital Boston

Updated: 11/12/2010