Abstinence-only sex education for teens doesn't work, according to a report by the American Medical Association. This report stated that these abstinence programs resulted in "no delay of initiating sexual activity, no reduction in the number of sexual partners and no increase in abstinence," according to Stuart Gitlow, MD.
This report came out a few weeks after the publication of a study that concerned the rising birth rate among teens. The rate increased in 2006 and 2007 after it had actually declined over the previous 14 years. A team of researchers led by John Santelli of the Colombia University Mailman School of Public Health said that a decrease in the use of contraceptives was the main cause of this rising birth rate. According to the Washington Post, Santelli believes that the decrease in contraceptive use could be due to the dimished fear of HIV and the "recent increased focus on encouraging kids to remain abstinent until marriage instead of teaching them about contraceptives."
The AMA believes that federal funding should support sex education programs, which include condom use, abstinence and other methods of contraception. This report stated that those programs are the best when it comes to reducing pregnancies among teens and in the prevention of sexually- transmitted diseases.
This information was obtained from the Daily Feminist News of Ms. Magazine.