Study rejects theory that teens engage in oral sex to protect virginity

New York: A new study has rejected the popular belief that teenagers in the United States prefer oral sex to intercourse to safeguard their virginity. The study examined sexual practices of US teens.

Previous studies conducted in 2002 and 2005 have articulated that teenagers frequently engage in oral sex so that their virginity could be preserved technically. But the new study published by Adolescent Health falsifies the earlier studies. The study was conducted on 2,271 females and males in the age group of 15 to 19.

According to the study, 55 percent of the teens said they had engaged in oral sex but that this practice was far more common among those who also had engaged in vaginal sex. Teens admitted that they began vaginal and oral sex at roughly the same time..

statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that more than one in four U.S. teen girls was infected with at least one sexually transmitted disease. The CDC said that the birth rate for U.S. teens rose in 2006 for the first time since 1991.

Lindberg said the Guttmacher Institute's findings have health policy implications. She said, "While oral and anal sex carry no risk of pregnancy, engaging in these behaviors can nevertheless put teens ar the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Counseling and education should take into account total STI risk by addressing the full range of behaviors that teens engage in, including oral and anal sex," she stressed.