60 Health Concerns of Girls
What girls should know about having sex
• You can get pregnant the first time you have sex.
• You can get pregnant any time you have sex without a
family planning method (even if it is only once).
• You can get pregnant even if the man thinks he did not let
his seed (sperm) come out.
• You can get an STI or HIV if you do not use a condom
when you have sex with an infected person. And you
cannot tell by looking at a person if he is infected.
• It is easier for a girl to get a sexually transmitted infection
(STI) or HIV from a boy or man than it is for her to give
these diseases to him. This is because of the way sex
works—because she is the ‘receiver’. It is also harder to
know if a girl has an infection, because it is inside her body.
Always use a condom for protection against STIs and HIV. But the most
certain way to avoid pregnancy, STIs, and HIV is to not have sex.
62
pressure to have sex
Having a relationship with no sex
Building a loving relationship takes time, caring, respect, and
trust from both sides. Sex is not the only way of showing
someone that you care. Having sex does not mean that you
will fall in love.
You can spend personal time together without having sex.
By talking and sharing experiences you can learn something
more important about each other—how you view life,
decisions you would make together, what kind of partner and
parent you would each make, and how you feel about each
other’s plans for life. Touching each other (without sexual
intercourse) can be satisfying by itself, and is not dangerous as
long as it does not lead you to lose control and to have sex
when you are not ready.
Talk to your boyfriend. If you are sure he is right for you,
but you are not sure you want to have sex, talk about ways to
wait. You may find that he is not ready for sex, either. If you
respect each other, you will be able to decide together.
Talk to your friends. You may find that some girl friends are
facing the same difficult choices. You can help each other find
ways to have good relationships without sex. But think twice
about advice from a friend who is already having sex. A friend
may try to convince you to do something she is doing to make
herself feel better about doing it. This is called ‘peer pressure’.
Where Women Have No Doctor 2012