Teen Pregnancy.

[Dan]

Risks Rise when Teens Combine Drugs
or Alcohol with Sex.
From the Erie-Times News, Monday, April 30, 2001.

Alcohol and other drugs can affect judgment and lead to risk taking in people of all ages, but the consequences are often especially severe for teens. Each year, alcohol use is involved in more than 35 percent of all fatal teen car accidents. But substance abuse also impairs teens' ability to make judgments about their sexual behavior. As a result, their risk increases for unplanned pregnancy, sexual assault and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

One-quarter of sexually active high school students report using drugs or alcohol during their most recent sexual experience, and, in a national survey, 13 percent of teens say they did something sexual while using drugs or alcohol that they wouldn't have done if they were sober. In fact, many young men and women say they used alcohol—or were even drunk—when they had their first sexual experience. And many of these same young people say they were so drunk that they couldn't properly use birth control, especially condoms.

One study of girls ages 14-21 with unplanned pregnancies found that one-third of the girls were drinking when they had sex and that nine out of ten hadn't even planned to have sex. The more teens drink the less they use condoms. Teens who had five or more drinks were three times less likely to use condoms than other teens.

Males are nearly twice as likely to mix alcohol or drugs with sex (31 percent compared to 19 percent of females), but young women face greater threats. Not only do young women risk an unplanned pregnancy, they are more likely to be the victim of an alcohol or drug-related sexual assault or an incurable STD. Nearly 40 percent of high school boys said it is acceptable to force sex if a girl is stoned or drunk. (See related story on "date rape" drugs.)

For both adolescent men and women, there is a strong relationship between drug and alcohol use and multiple sex partners. Multiple sex partners and reduced condom use can be a deadly prescription for HIV/AIDS and cervical cancer. Again, young women face the greatest risk. A year 2000 White House report says that half of all new HIV infections occur in people under 25. In teens, two out of three new HIV infections were in females. Because of the way their bodies are built, females are more likely to be infected with HIV during sex. Being infected with another STD also increases the risk of HIV. To make matters worse, drug and alcohol use also weaken the immune system.

So, what's the bottom line? Risky behaviors like smoking, using drugs, drinking alcohol and early sex tend to occur among the same teens. Boys who start drinking or smoking at a young age are 40 percent more likely to also start having sex at a young age. The risk doubles for girls. For them, use of alcohol or cigarettes increases the risk of early sex by 80 percent. Teens need facts and skills to make healthy decisions and avoid serious, lifelong consequences. Saying "no" to drugs and alcohol is the first step. The only sure way to avoid unplanned pregnancy and STDs is not to have sex!

When teens are sexually active, the best protection against unplanned pregnancy is using the most effective birth control method appropriate to one's personal health and lifestyle. For most teen girls this is the pill or the shot (Depo Provera). But neither of these methods protects against STDs. Condoms are the best defense against sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS. That's why every sexually active teen needs to use a condom every time…and that can be difficult to do when you're drunk!

[*silenced*]

I totally agree that this is really really important.
Every girl I know who has had a child under 18 was drunk or on coke when they had sex, and although everyone makes mistakes, I know Ive certainly done things Ive regretting under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
And the part about young women being more vunerable to sexual assult/abuse is totally true, I think sexual abusers can easily take advantage of girls who are under the influence, it always makes me wonder if things wouldnt have happened if I hadnt been using drugs and alcohol when I was abused, it makes you blame yourself even more.
Good post. Thank you.

[Chy]

Yes so true. Using drugs or alchol tends to lower inhibitions and the common sense area of the brain. Unfortunatly, many become prey to this situation and such terrible things can happen... be careful out there.

[ella15]

im sorry...i dont know if this is the right place to post this but im desperate and i need some advice and this is the only place i knew of to come. About 5 nights ago..i was drunk and had unprotected sex with my boyfriend. He came inside me and now im scared im pregnate. I had my period two weeks ago so im not due for while. My question is what are the chances that im pregnate honestly? thanks
ella

[Done-With-It!]

Hi sweetie,

Glad you posted. Honestly I don't think there is a percentage that we could give you, I think everyone is different, but I'm not sure.

What I do know is that you should go to someplace like planned parenthood to get checked out. They can also talk with you about birth control and they give out free condoms too.

Do you know of someplace that you can go to? Is there someone who could take you to Planned parenthood?

[Dan]

ella15,
If you're in America, you might get some help finding health center here:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2/portal/
There's a search menu at the top.
Click 'I want'. The menu will drop down, and select 'Health Center'.
You should get this result:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2...dhealthcenter/

There's also this link to check out:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/pp2.../birthcontrol/

Good luck, and keep checking in.

[*silenced*]

It depends on what your "cycle" is (like whne your egg is relased...ect) as to if you could be pregnant and even then you cant be sure, other than with a pregnancy test.
I know some of how you feel hun and its really scary, but its easier when you know. Either go to Planned Parenthood, a Brook health centre or somthing or to your local pharmacy where you can get pregnancy tests which can tell if your pregnancy early on, look at the label. Its going to be ok, its very likley that you are not pregnant, but if you are its not the end of the world. Keep calm and wait to find out.

[ella15]

thanks everyone for the advice ...i went and asked someone about it and they said its to early to tell if your pregnate because its only been 7 days since we had sex. Im going to go see a family planning centre tomorrow and asked them for some advice..thanks again and ill keep you posted on how it turns out.

[Dan]

Good stuff, ella.
Good luck.

[ella15]

hey guys, i took the pregnacy test and it was negative but im not sure if that is a good or bad thing..its good because im to young to have a baby and i don't have my life together but when i thought i was pregnant, i stopped drinking and getting stoned because i didnt want to hurt my child but now that there isn't a child there..i feel as if theres nothing to stop me from going back to how i was. I also feel bad because i feel if i was pregant then i would only want the baby to stop me from drinking and to have a focus in life eventhough thats not true because i would love it and want to be its mother...can anyone relate to that?

luv ella xx

[*silenced*]

I can totally relate to that. Even though I was clean when I found out I pregnant, I still drank somtimes and it made me think so much. It was scary, but still. Feeling maternal like that is only natural, when I had an ultra-scan, I totally forgot everything else and the little blob on the screen made me so happy just for a moment.
You dont need to go back to how things were. Hasnt perhaps being pregnanct altered your view at all? About what important, because its you that is important, and doing anything to hurt your body or your mind is important because you only get one of each, mess them up now and when you really are ready to have a baby when you're older, you might not be able to.
Think towards your future and you got into this scary situation because you were drunk right? Being drunk or high is going to make you take risks like having unprotected sex. You need to think about being more careful and about contreception?
You're going to be a great mother one day, when you're ready and the time is right, but you need to look after yourself at the moment.

[Done-With-It!]

Yup, I can relate. I think the key is learning to care about ourselves, but that's hard to do. It's a process.

Are you getting any other help or talking to anyone? Meetings? or a counselor?

[Dan]

i stopped drinking and getting stoned because i didnt want to hurt my child but now that there isn't a child there..


I can relate in a way, I think, if it's even possible for a guy to relate to this subject. When both my kids were born, I stopped drinking. For a time. I fell in love with those two little babies the moment I layed eyes on them.
So I guess that for me, the way I relate to what you said Ella is that nothing is going to keep me sober, except my desire to be sober.
Not my friends, not my children.

I'm glad you're not pregnant at your still young age.
And I really wish you the desire to clean up, and one day maybe, set your eyes on a new baby borne to you, a sober and healthy mother.

Use this opportunity maybe, as a springboard.
You stayed clean and sober while you thought you might be carrying a child.
Something inside you caused that instinct to kick in, I guess.
I know you can find a way to love yourself enough to let that instinct guide you into recovery.