Study shows oral sex leads to intercourse in teens

By Staff Writer

According to a new study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, oral sex can be a precursor to teenagers having intercourse. The study surveyed more than 600 high school students in California to report on their sexual experiences. The participants were asked to fill out surveys twice a year, from the beginning of ninth grade to the end of 11th grade, CNN reports.

Researchers learned that most adolescents have their first experiences with oral sex and vaginal intercourse in the same six-month period. Additionally, having oral sex once made intercourse more likely to occur. Specifically, initiating oral sex by the end of their freshman year in high school gave teens a 25 percent chance of initiating vaginal sex around the same time.

The researchers found that most adolescents do not consider oral sex to be sex in the first place.

Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, senior author of the study, said she believes teenagers are most likely to initiate sex during their first two years of high school. She added that concerned parents ought to talk to their teens about oral sex and not focus solely on the risks associated with intercourse.

The Guttmacher Institute reports that the U.S. has the highest levels of teen pregnancy among developed nations.