Sex education has a key role to play in helping teenagers avoid pregnancy, the annual national conference of the counselling agency Cura was told at the weekend. Speaking in Tralee, Co Kerry, Dr Mary McCaffrey, a consultant obstetrician at Tralee General Hospital, said relationship and sexuality education was important for young people from a very early age.
She said this was highlighted by a recent study undertaken by the South Western Regional Health Authority in Britain, comparing schools with and without an interventional sex education programme. In schools which provided such a programme, there was a reduction in unplanned pregnancy and a lower rate of consultation for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
The study also showed that students in schools where sex education was provided were:
More knowledgeable about contraception and STDs.
Less likely to consider sexual activity beneficial in their personal relationships.
More likely to correctly believe that less than half of teenagers are sexually active before they are 16.
Less likely to be sexually active at 16 years of age.
The study also showed a high approval rating from parents for sex education. Dr McCaffrey said doctors also had a role in providing advice on STDs and contraception.