Sex and Pregnancy
How will I know if I am ready to have sex?
Can I get pregnant if I give oral sex?
Should I have sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend if I love him/her?
What is the age of consent?
The age of consent is the age at which you are legally able to consent to having sex. You must be this age in order to have sex. The law says that the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual men and women is 16 in England, Wales and Scotland, and 17 in Northern Ireland.
How will I know if I am ready to become sexual ?
Being sexually active can involve just kissing, touching, holding and feeling, but sexual intercourse is different. You may feel ready for some sexual acts but not sexual intercourse, which involves a lot more body contact! The main things you have to remember are: a) make sure you feel ready, b) don’t be pressurised by anyone into doing something you don’t want to do and c) it is illegal to have sexual intercourse under the age of 16.
What is sexual intercourse?
Sexual intercourse is penetrative sex. Any sort of sexual activity involving insertion: oral, anal or vaginal. Here's how vaginal sex works - vaginal intercourse involves a man placing his hard penis (erection) in a woman’s vagina and moving it in and out, to give a pleasurable feeling.
Intercourse can result in the couple experiencing orgasms (an intense moment of pleasure) and when the man orgasms he ‘cums’ or ejaculates semen fluid containing sperm (cum) into the woman’s vagina. If a man ejaculates without a condom on to catch the sperm, this can result in the woman getting pregnant or catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Can I get pregnant if I give oral sex?
Oral sex is when you stimulate your partner’s genitals with your mouth, lips or tongue. This could involve sucking or licking their penis, vagina and clitoris or anus. If your male partner ejaculates (cums) in your mouth, you won’t get pregnant, as long as the sperm doesn’t go anywhere near your vagina. However, you can get HIV and other STIs via oral sex, so try and use a condom or oral dam to protect yourself, there are some nice flavoured ones to try.
Does sexual intercourse hurt?
Having sex shouldn’t hurt if you are relaxed and feel ready for it. The time before intercourse is foreplay, when a couple kiss and touch each other to get excited and lubricated enough for sex. Foreplay is an important and really pleasurable part of sex, it helps to lubricate the vagina for a woman and make the penis erect (hard) for a man.
Some women find it easier to have an orgasm during foreplay, especially if her partner rubs or licks her clitoris. The man needs to make sure the woman is ready before he tries to put his penis inside her vagina, otherwise it may hurt. Always use a condom to prevent pregnancy and infection. Condoms also help with lubrication and inserting the penis.
Sex can be painful for medical reasons, so if it hurts even though you are comfortable and ready, you might need to talk to your doctor. Sex can also hurt the first time, when the hymen gets broken. This is a thin layer of skin at the opening of the vagina, but this may be broken already by tampons or riding a bicycle. Sex can tear it, which causes a bit of bleeding and pain.
Should I have sex with my boyfriend/girlfriend if I love him/her?
You should never feel you have to do anything, especially if your partner loves you. They will care about your feelings and understand if you are not ready or don’t want to do it. Sex can be fun but it also means you have to be very responsible and protect yourself from disease and possible pregnancy.
If you are over 16 and you feel comfortable with having sex, then you are probably ready, but you may be happy with just kissing and touching and other forms of sexual activity. There is no hurry - it is better to wait and really enjoy the experience with someone you care about. You must both feel happy about it.
Is masturbation normal?
Masturbation involves stimulating your own penis or vagina and clitoris to get pleasure, by stroking or touching. Masturbation is normal and lots of people do it. Some people masturbate several times a day. Some less than once a week. It always depends on how you feel and what you want. You may feel you don’t want to do it.
