What do I do if I am not sure I am ready to have sex?
Deciding to become sexually active is a very personal decision.
There is no set age for a person to start having sex.
Think about your own attitudes toward sex and what you know about it. Define what having sex means to you and how far you want to go.
It is a good idea to be fully informed about ways of protecting yourself and having a healthy sexuality. Consider the possible consequences and whether you are ready to take the steps to protect yourself.
Take the time to talk to your partner about how you feel and about the reasons why you and your partner want or don’t want to have sex.
If you can’t talk to your partner about your concerns for safer sex and contraception, then you probably aren’t ready to have sex with that person.
Although the decision whether to have sex or not is ultimately yours, it can also help to gain perspective by talking to other people, such as your parents, older siblings, close relatives, friends, neighbours, teachers, religious leader, doctor or any other person that you trust for advice.
What do I do if I know I am ready to have sex and I want to get contraception?
Get information about the different kinds of contraception and about local resources, either from a local clinic or from your school.
If you are not sure which method would be best for you, then it’s a good idea to go talk to your health care provider or someone from a sexual health clinic.
You may want to write down all the questions and concerns you have beforehand. Remember, everyone, including young people, has the right to information, access, choice, safety, privacy, confidentiality, dignity, comfort, continuity and opinion.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is something you don’t understand. Consider bringing your partner with you to talk to a health care provider so that you can share the responsibility of decision-making. This might help you discuss issues that you usually find awkward to talk about together.
What do I do if I want to have sex with my partner but I don’t know how to talk to him or her about contraception?
Don’t wait until you are in a sexual situation with your partner to bring up contraception. Find a good time to have a conversation and think beforehand about what you want to say.
Before talking to your partner, consider your values and your feelings. Think about what you are willing to compromise on and what you need to stand firm on.
Make sure you listen to what your partner has to say and try to reach a decision together that satisfies both of you. Stick to what was decided during the discussion and be open to talking about it again if you think that you or your partner’s feelings may have changed.
If you and your partner can’t agree, or if you can’t even have a conversation about sex and contraception, then you need to think about whether having sex and/or a relationship with someone who does not respect your decisions and values is worth it.