KCMI - Counseling Tools

Most Sexually Active Teens Do Not Know About HPV (Human Papilloma Virus)

Teens are misled; condoms don't block Human Papilloma Virus.

A fact sheet by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and National Institutes of Health reports that the Human Papilloma Virus infects 24 million Americans. More than 60 types of HPV have been identified, both high and low risk. Sexual contact causes the spread of approximately one-third of the types of HPV. The National Cancer Institute lists HPV as its major cause of cervical cancer. Teens who are sexually active and have multiple sex partners are at high risk.

Abstinence is obviously the best way to avoid infections like HPV and sexually transmitted diseases. However, teens buying into the safe-sex doctrine had better think twice. The dangers of HPV have been greatly downplayed among a number of sex educators.

According to pediatrician Margaret Meeker in her book "Restoring the Teenage Soul," HPV infections can be more aggressive in teens, cause silent damage to internal organs and show up as genital warts on young men and women.

A fact sheet by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and National Institutes of Health reports the virus infects 24 million Americans. More than 60 types of HPV have been identified, both high and low risk. Sexual contact causes the spread of approximately one-third of the types of HPV.

The National Cancer Institute lists HPV as its major cause of cervical cancer.

Teens who are sexually active and have multiple sex partners are at high risk. The message here is that even though prominent groups tell you that sex with a condom is safe, it absolutely isn't. Not only are there negative emotional and spiritual consequences associated with teen sex, but also the physical risks are incredible and, at times, life threatening.

The best thing is abstinence.

It is biblical, and prevents you from taking health and mental-health risks. Condom use does not mean safe sex as so many would lead you to believe. Understand that God's directive against premarital sex was not meant to deny your sexuality but to preserve it for the best of all circumstances  - the covenant of marriage