UPDATES IN MICHIGAN FAMILY LAW

Abstinence isn't working to reduce teen pregnancy & STDs

Rob Stein, a Washington Post Staff Writer states on December 29, 2008 that “[t]eenagers who pledge to remain virgins until marriage are just as likely to have premarital sex as those who do not promise abstinence and are significantly less likely to use condoms and other forms of birth control when they do, according to a study released today.”

Stein describes the new analysis of data from a large federal survey. This study found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge." Of serious concern is that the study revealed that the percentage of teens who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for those who had pledged abstinence than for who had no pledged.

HPV | Changing teenagers' futures in a heartbeat

I was recently struck by how easy it is for teen sex to change in a heartbeat the future of young women without a teenager even knowing what has happened until it is too late.

I've written extensively about the dangers of teen sex and the rampant increase in incidence of HPV infection. HPV is the STD that keeps on giving, spreading exponentially when an infected boy or girl has sex with others. There are three strains of HPV that cause virtually all cervical cancers.

Here's a story about how cervical cancer changed one woman's life forever. She is a survivor of cervical cancer caused by HPV. She had it twice. Now she is unable to conceive or carry a child. She and her husband will be fortunate indeed if just one of the remaining cryo-preserved embryos that they saved before her treatment allows them to have children.

How divorced parents can help children survive the holidays

Many children of divorce feel caught in the middle of their parent’s battles during the holiday season. Holidays should be a time for kids to experience the love, joy and magic. Instead, many children are confused, frustrated, sad and angry.

The stress divorce causes children during the holidays

The holiday season may be more difficult than usual for children of divorced or separated families.

• The excess chaos may cause children to feel anxious.
• Children may feel caught in the middle if their parents fight about who spends what time where.
• They may feel resentful when they must leave friends and family to stay with a non-custodial parent.