REAL QUESTIONS TEENS ASK ABOUT SEX AND ANSWERS

Chaste Ideal Real Question and Answer Series Volume 1
REAL QUESTIONS TEENS ASK ABOUT SEX
... AND ANSWERS
Compiled by
Onyinye Jason
Director
Chaste Ideal International, Africa

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to every young person whose mind is made up to abstain from sex until marriage.

PUBERTY
This is the period during which the sexual organs develop and the individual becomes capable of having children. Below are the signs of puberty in both males and females:
Males
Growth of testes/scrotum. Growth of pubic hair
Body growth - there is an increase in height and size
Increase in muscle bulk. Broadening of shoulders
Increase in size of the penis
Deepening of voice
Growth of hair on the face and armpit. Appearance of acne.
Production of sperm
Females
The pelvis begins to grow and attain a female shape
Budding (growth) of breasts
Growth of pubic hair
Vaginal wall thickens and vaginal secretions may appear
Growth of hair on the armpit
Onset of menstruation (also known as menarche)
Appearance of pimple (acne)
ADOLESCENCE
This is the time in a person’s life when he or she develops from a child into an adult. It is usually between the ages of 10 and 19.
PUBERTY
1. . Does sex help in the onset of puberty?
Sex has no influence in the onset of puberty. Puberty is a natural process of maturing into adulthood. It is set off and regulated by hormones NOT SEX. It may come early in some people and may be delayed in some.
2. Please, can you explain the term “late puberty”?
Puberty is described as delayed or late (with exceptions) when a boy or girl has passed the usual age of onset of puberty (10-15 years) with no physical or hormonal signs depicting its onset. Puberty may be delayed for several years and still occur normally, in which case it is considered a constitutional delay, a variation of healthy physical development. Delay of puberty may also occur due to under-nutrition, many forms of systemic diseases or to defects of the reproductive system (hypogonadism) or the body's responsiveness to sex hormones. The normal variation in the age at which adolescent changes occur is so wide that puberty cannot be considered to be pathologically (badly) delayed until the menarche has failed to occur by the age of 18 or testicular development by the age of 20.
MENSTRUATION
4. How does menstruation occur?
In healthy teenagers and adults, menstruation occurs once a month. The ovary of a female contains thousands of eggs. Once she reaches puberty, each of her ovaries (every alternate month) releases an egg into the fallopian tube. It travels from the fallopian tube to the ovaries. The uterus prepares for the egg’s arrival by forming a thick layer. If the girl has had sex in the last few days, the sperm might unite with the egg (this is called fertilization). The fertilized egg travels to the uterus and attaches itself to the wall of the uterus. It keeps growing until 9 months when the baby is born. If fertilization of the egg does not take place, the uterus then “becomes disappointed” and begins to shed off those excess inner layers. These shed layers and the unfertilized egg then pass out through the cervix and then out of the vagina as blood. This flow of blood is called the ‘period’ or menstruation.
5. Can sex induce menstruation?
Sex cannot induce menstruation. Menstrual cycle is under the control of hormones. Avoid teenage sex. However if you are above 15 years and you have not seen your menses for the first time, please see a doctor.
6. Can a girl get pregnant before she starts seeing her period?
This is possible. Ovulation can occur without the girl seeing her menses. Menses often follows the release of ovum (ovulation) from the ovaries. Therefore if a girl engages in sexual intercourse around ovulation before her first menses, she may get pregnant.
7. What symptoms can a girl experience before seeing her period?
She may feel a fullness of the breast, waist pain, and slight vaginal discharge. Menstrual cycle can also be associated with some mood changes.
8. What does it mean when a girl says “I have missed my period”?
This means her menses did not come at the time she expected it. This can happen for the following reasons:
If the girl is pregnant
A girl’s menses is usually irregular especially within the first two years after menarche (i.e. the onset of menstruation). It can skip some two or more months before it resumes again. This is because the structures connected with its regulation (e.g. the hypothalamus and pituitary in the brain and the ovary) are not yet accustomed to the process.
Psychosocial factors e.g. stress, emotions, change to a new environment etc.
It could be for other health reasons which would require the attention of a gynaecologist, especially if it is irregular for more than a year.
9. What causes menstrual pain in the absence of pre-marital sex?
Menstrual pain also called menstrual cramps refer to uterine contractions, which are generally of higher strength, duration and frequency than the rest of the menstrual cycle producing varying discomfort. Menstrual cramps are caused when the lining of the uterus releases a hormone-like substance called prostaglandin. As prostaglandin is dispensed into the systems, it causes the uterus to undergo spasms or contractions, which are from increased production of the substance. It is normal to have mild to moderate cramping at the beginning of menstruation because of prostaglandin's inflammatory effect as well as its influence over the constriction and dilation of blood vessels. Menstrual pain can come naturally without any abnormal underlying cause. It can also be caused by abnormal growth and functioning of bleeding tissue in other parts of the womb outside the uterus (endometriosis) or within the muscle of the uterus (adenomyosis), abnormal ballooning of part of the ovary (ovarian cysts), and pelvic inflammatory disease and congestions and insertion of family planning devices in the uterus (intra uterine device IUD). Pelvic inflammatory disease can be caused by sexually transmitted infections (STIs especially chlamydia) and infections after abortions which are avoidable by abstinent teenagers.
10. A family friend of mine who is a virgin usually has severe menstrual pain. Some people advised her to have sex so the pain could stop but I discouraged her from doing so. Please what should she do?
It is always safer to get information from reliable, well-informed and expert sources than friends. There are simple things you can do to reduce menstrual pain, sex is not one of them. For instance, you can dip a towel in hot water and place on your lower abdomen and back (heat therapy), you can take warm fluids, engage in some exercises, don’t focus on the pain; you can watch television, read a novel etc as these things will help to divert your mind away from the pain. Some people can tolerate menstrual pain while some cannot. Please if the pain is much, painkillers are recommended. Over-the-counter painkillers can be bought with a good pharmacist’s advice. The time to take the drugs should be before the pain is really established. If the pain is severe, please consult your doctor.
11. What will happen if a girl has sex during menstruation?
Such a girl is at risk of getting pregnant and contacting infection. A teenager is not a sex object not at anytime during her menstrual cycle.
12. What should a girl do if she is up to 18yrs and has not started menstruating?
The onset of menstruation varies in girls. Some girls start menstruating early while others start late. It can just be like that in her family (familial constitutional delay). There are many causes. Normal adolescents can have imperforate hymen, anorexia nervosa, low weight, emaciation and excessive dieting. There can be anatomical (physical) female reproductive abnormality of the vagina, cervix (very narrow), uterus (lack or double). Some genetic and hormonal disorders do cause it. It is recommended that if there is no menarche in a girl above 15 years, a doctor should be consulted. If above 18 years a gynaecologist’s review will be necessary.
13. If a girl has not started menstruating, can she get pregnant?
Yes. It is possible for her to get pregnant. Please don’t go into pre-marital sex thinking you are safe.
14. What can a girl do if a her private part is itchy?
Itching in the private part could be as a result of infection. A girl who experiences this should endeavour to maintain cleanliness of her private part, wash her underwear thoroughly and regularly and dry them in an airy place or under direct sunlight and she should endeavour to see a doctor. Treatment may be necessary. Can accumulation of sperm (due to abstinence) lead to death, madness or stomach pain?
The male body has a mechanism of reabsorbing (taking back) the semen (containing sperm cells) produced. The sperm cells go through a natural cell death (apoptosis) which is not harmful in any way. The semen does not overflow or cause any medical problem if not released. It is erroneous to think semen must be released through sexual intercourse or by masturbation. During wet dreams, accumulated semen is released (ejaculation while sleeping). The boy wakes up to find his underwear wet with semen. This is a natural occurrence in males. However, boys should avoid reading or watching sexually expressive, explicit, suggestive novels, films, musical videos which build up sexual pressure and induce wet dreams involving sex in dreams. Wet dreams usually should not involve sexual intercourse in dreams. However, not everybody experiences wet dreams.
15. Are wet dreams harmful to the individual?
No, it is not but it may give a boy some concern if he experiences it without a proper knowledge of what it means.