Teen Sexual Abstinence Pledges Don't Work

Adolescent sexual abstinence pledges are popular in some circles in the United States. A Columbia University study suggests that such pledges are rarely translated into behavior. 88% of the teens who had pledged abstinence actually had sex before they were married.

The researchers studied a nationally representative sample of approximately 15,000 youths ages 12 to 18. Teens who took such pledges were less likely to use condoms when they did have sex. The authors speculate that these teens had paid less attention to sex education.

Read more in this Reuters article