Abstinence-based sex-ed programs may lose federal funding

If approved, the reintroduced Repealing Ineffective and Incomplete Abstinence-Only Program Funding Act will defund sexual education programs that revolve around abstinence, as well as reallocate millions of dollars to curricula that provide information on the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to New Jersey On-Line.

"This legislation would make smart investments in programs that prevent teen pregnancy and stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases," Senator Frank R. Lautenberg, who co-authored the bill, told the news source.

If the bill is given the go-ahead by Congress, New Jersey On-Line added, more than $50 million would become available for educational instruction on sexual health and contraception, along with abstinence.

According to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 46 percent of high school students have had sex, and 14 percent of these adolescents have participated in intercourse with more than four partners.

Although students may consistently use methods of pregnancy prevention, the CDC notes that 34 percent of teenagers reported that they did not use condoms to protect against STDs during their most recent sexual interaction.

Individuals who have taken part in unprotected sex may consider using online testing services to detect STDs.