Today, May 7th, is National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) points out that although teen pregnancy rates are the lowest they’ve been in 30 years, they’re not low enough.

Before age 20, 31% of teen girls will get pregnant.

The AAP, along with 200 other national organizations, is promoting National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy through a variety of ways.

If you’re comfortable talking with your teen about sex and pregnancy, visit the StayTeen.org website and take the quiz with your child to see what your teen would do in a risky sexual situation.  This should prove to open up a great dialogue. Also, pediatricians across the country are talking with their teen patients about this national campaign and encouraging them to think about what to do “in the moment” before the moment arises.

Much more information about the national campaign can be found at the campagin’s website. While all parents don’t agree on how to and what to discuss in regards to sex with their teens, all parents probably agree that preventing teen pregnancy is a must.

You’ve probably seen that startling statistic by now. It has run as a headline for most major news outlets: one out of every four girls has an STD, according to a first-of-its-kind federal study. Here are the details:

• Data collected in a 2003-2004 government health survey
• 838 girls in the study between the ages of 14-19
• 26.5% tested positive for an STD

18%-HPV

4%-chlamydia

2.5%-trichomoniasis

2%-genital herpes

• Nearly 50% of the African American girls tested had at least 1 STD
• 20% of Caucasian and 20% of Mexican American girls had at least 1 STD
• 3 millions girls nationwide, as estimated according to these statistics, have an STD

Two myths that teens have about STDs were also reported:

1. The withdrawl method will protect against STDs.
2. Douching with Coca-Cola kills STD germs.

The study raises a lot of questions for teens, parents, educators, health professionals, government officials-everyone really. How do people define sex? Is abstinence-only sex education enough? Who is responsible for teaching teens about sex? Do teens view themselves as immune or invulnerable to STDs? Should girls be vaccinated against HPV? At what age should girls begin to be screened for these diseases?

Everyone has their own opinions on this topic. Hopefully, this latest study will get people to discuss them. Many adults don’t know where to begin when they talk to teens about sex and STDs…these statistics might be the perfect place to start.

Before you know it, long gone will be the diapers, tantrums and bedtime battles, and you’ll enter the tween and teen years and — ugh! — dating issues.

Here’s some advice that I plan to print out and keep on the brain when all those touchy-feeley teen dating issues come into play. It comes from Marilyn Maxwell, M.D., a Saint Louis University physician and contributing author to Questions Kids Ask About Sex: Honest Answers for Every Age:

1. Set the ground rules and stick to them. Guidelines can range from curfews to acceptable activities. Some parents also require the date to first spend time getting to know the family.
2. Consider your child’s maturity level. Many parents set a certain age, say 16, for dating, but not all children mature at the same rate.
3. Encourage group activities rather than solo dates, especially for younger teens.
4. Incorporate dates into family activities. This time should not be used to drill the date, but to get to know him and have fun together.
5. Be involved in your child’s plans. Know where he is going, with whom and when he will be home.
6. Provide supervision. Leaving children alone for hours or not requiring accountability is a set-up for undesirable behavior.
7. Watch for dangerous behaviors such as rollercoaster emotions, neediness, isolation, verbal disrespect or physical abuse.
8. Pick your battles. Don’t forbid a relationship unless it is abusive, controlling or isolating. Maxwell also says teens shouldn’t date someone more than two years older because of the maturity differences.
9. If your child has already had sex, tell her that it is never too late to start making good decisions and encourage her to make a commitment to wait until marriage.
10. Loosen up on the reins. While parents need to set appropriate boundaries, it’s important to entrust your teen with increasing responsibilities to manage themselves.

Hopefully, I can file these tidbits away for a long time. Then again, J.J. has been beaming all week, ever since his preschool girl pal gave him a Valentine. Hmm…

Parents of tweens/teens: How old was your child when dating/relationship issues first emerged?