Kids who receive sexual education abstain longer, study shows

Children who receive sexual education at school are more likely to wait until they are older to have sex and to use protection when they have intercourse for the first time, according to a study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The research findings show that boys who received sexual education were 71 percent less likely to have sex before they were 15 years old. Similarly, sexually educated girls were 59 percent less likely than their peers to have early intercourse.

Also, more than two times as many male subjects who learned about sex in school used contraception when they first had sex, compared to those who did not have educational resources.

The researchers noted that the type of sex ed that students received, whether it was based on abstinence or prevention, did not affect their risk of having unprotected intercourse or sex at an early age.

Individuals who have sex without using protection increase their risk of becoming infected with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 10 million teens contract STDs each year.

Those who would like to be screened for the infections may consider using confidential online testing services.