Sexual health is an important issue during adolescence as habits formed during teenage years often last a lifetime. Some key issues regarding teen sexual health include physical body changes, sex education, body image struggles during puberty, dating pressures, teenage pregnancy which greatly impacts lives and makes continuing education difficult, and risk of sexually transmitted diseases which half of sexually active teens will contract by age 25 if not properly educated about safe sex and abstinence. Teenagers need to understand their self-worth and have a plan to avoid unprotected sex and teen pregnancy.

2. Sexual health, although not a topic that many of the teenagers nowadays
want to discuss with adults, is a very importance issue. Adolescence is a very
formative stage, and the habits learned during the teenage years can often stay
with a person for a lifetime. Some of the most important issues regarding teen
sexual health include physical body changes and sex education.
Teenage Sexuality Issues
Today’s teenager is faced with sexualized information at every turn. From
magazines, television, the internet, and even among his or her friends, sexuality
is a constant topic that seems to be intriguing for him or her. The teenager
needs to understand his or her value and have goals in place when the issue of
sexuality arises.

3. Some of teenager’s sexuality issues are the following:
• Body Image
Some teenagers begin puberty in their pre-teenage years or are just
starting this stage. This is a time of many physical and hormonal changes. A
teenager could experience low self-esteem due to his or her body image.
Teenagers crave acceptance from friends and do not want to stand out. He or
she may constantly look for confirmation from the outside, comparing himself
or herself to the images in the media.
• Teenage Dating
With dating can come per pressure to engage in sexual activities. This is a
time that parents need to highly monitor their child’s whereabouts. Dating is not
only taking place on weekend nights. Teenagers also find time to socialize in the
afternoons and evenings after school, while their parents are at work.

4. • Teenage Pregnancy
Teenage pregnancy is a problem that permanently affects the lives
of both the mother and the father. The pregnancy rate for women aged 18
to 19 is three times higher than that of younger teenagers. Being a teenage
mother makes it difficult to continue one’s studies with only 40% of
teenage mothers completing high school. The possibility of unprotected
sex leading to pregnancy should be discussed early in the home. Both girls
and boys need a plan in place to avoid being caught off-guard and
pressured.

5. • SexuallyTransmitted Diseases
Abstinence and safe sex education are necessary to inform
teenagers about sexually transmitted diseases, whether the teenager is
sexually active or not. Stephanie Watson of Web MD says, “Half of all
sexually active teenagers will catch chlamydia, herpes, or another STD by
the time they turn 25. It is sometimes not possible to look at someone and
know if they have an STD since the symptoms are not always physical. If
the teenagers do not feel comfortable discussing these issues with their
parents, he or she should find another adult that he or she trusts to talk
with. Remaining silent could cause ignorance to continue or an illness to
become worse”.