by Rebecca Deen

Created on: September 14, 2010

When is a teen ready for sex? That is a question that cannot be easily answered. In all reality there is only one person who can answer that question, the teenager in question.

Things to take into consideration:

- Can you picture spending the rest of your life with your partner? Do you love that person with every fiber of your being? Ask yourself these questions because virginity is a very special thing, and very uncommon these days. It's not something to be taken lightly and just given away to the first person that shows you some attention.

- Is your partner a virgin? If not, you could be at risk for an STD (sexually transmitted disease) or an STI (sexually transmitted infection). This is one reason why it's extremely important that you trust your partner 100%. You have to be able to trust your partner with your life when it comes to having sex.

- Are you ready to have a baby? If not then you might want to reconsider having sex. Birth control is a good way to protect against pregnancy, however birth control does not protect against STDs and STIs, and it's not 100% effective against pregnancy. Condoms protect against pregnancy, STDs, and STIs but the only thing that is 100% effective is abstinence, or not having sex.

Being in love and thinking you're in love are two totally different things. When you're young it's hard to distinguish between the two. My recommendation is to wait. Give it some time and make sure it's going to last before you rush into something so big. Some people are married for years before they realize that the person they married isn't the one for them.

These days there is lots of pressures on teenagers to have sex. One of the most important things to remember is don't let yourself be pressured into having sex. When you're ready you'll know so if you don't know if you're ready then you're probably not ready. It's that simple. If you let yourself be pressured into having sex you'll likely live to regret it later in life.

Now that you are aware of these things you can make a conscious decision on whether you're ready or not. Remember there's more to sex than love. You have to have trust and commitment as well. Also, remember the risks associated with your actions. If you choose to do it please be safe and responsible about it.

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