Joe S. McIlhaney Jr.

Joe S. McIlhaney Jr. is a gynecologist and president of the Medical Institute for Sexual Health, an organization he founded in 1992 to educate the public about the issues of nonmarital pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In the following viewpoint, McIlhaney argues that sexually active teens have a high risk of becoming pregnant and of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education programs that teach “safer sex” methods of contraception are ineffective at reducing teen sexual activity, he asserts. In his opinion, the only certain way to reduce and eliminate the risks of sexual activity is to teach teens to practice abstinence until marriage.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. Why do teens and young adults have the highest risk for contracting sexually transmitted diseases, according to the author"

2. How effective...