Sex

This Week In Sex: Middle Schoolers Get Condoms, Some University Students Don’t Use Them

This week in sex, the San Francisco School Board voted unanimously to approve condom availability for middle school students, agencies provide new advice on Zika virus, and a survey of University of Minnesota students found fewer of them are using condoms these days.

This Week in Sex: The San Francisco School Board voted unanimously to approve condom availability for middle school students, a survey on University of Minnesota students found fewer of them are using condoms, and agencies provide new advice on Zika virus. Shutterstock

This Week in Sex is a weekly summary of news and research related to sexual behavior, sexuality education, contraception, STIs, and more.

San Francisco School Board Votes to Make Condoms Available in Middle School

The San Francisco school board voted unanimously to make condoms available to middle school students despite opposition from some parents. The proposal was put forth by the district’s superintendent after a survey found that while 5 percent of middle school students are sexually active, fewer than 40 percent of those students are using condoms. Board Member Rachel Norton told the San Francisco Chronicle“This is not a giveaway program. They are going to be in a private, controlled space with an educator. This policy really is about the handful of students that really need it.”

Some parents and community members, however, argued that this would encourage sexual activity in other young people. Victor Seeto, issues chairman of the Chinese American Democratic Club, said, “The program’s message says sex is normal, is acceptable, but disease is bad. Let us strengthen the family and not weaken it.”

Nikkie Ho, a parent in the district, told local media, “We’re talking about between 11 and 14 years old. And they are not ready for it, so I don’t think this is appropriate.”

Others were supportive of the plan. One mother pointed out, “It’s latex; it’s an inanimate object. It’s not going to tell my kid what to do. I don’t see what the problem is.”

District officials believe this is an opportunity to engage students in discussions about their reproductive health. They are so committed to making condoms available that parents are not allowed to opt out of the program.

Research shows that allowing students access to condoms does not increase sexual behavior but does increase condom use. The American Academy of Pediatrics believes that schools are an important place to make condoms available.

Advice Differs on Zika Virus Found in Sperm and Breast Milk 

Zika virus is mainly spread by mosquitos but, as with other viruses, it has been found in both sperm and breast milk of infected people. As of now, however, only sperm is considered a possible route of transmission and breastfeeding women in affected areas are being told to continue.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating 14 cases in which the Zika virus appears to have been sexually transmitted. All of these cases involve possible infections in female partners of men who recently traveled to areas with Zika outbreaks. Several of the women are pregnant.

Zika virus is usually mild with symptoms that last about a week, such as fever, joint aches, and a rash. The virus, however, may be linked to a condition known as Guillain-Barré syndrome, an auto-immune disorder that can cause temporary paralysis. In addition, researchers are trying to determine what link, if any, Zika has to an alarming number of babies born in Brazil with microcephaly, a birth defect in which the head is much too small.

The CDC is advising that men who have traveled to regions affected by Zika either abstain from sex or use condoms during sex with pregnant partners.

In contrast, the World Health Organization urges women in infected regions to continue breastfeeding despite evidence of the virus in the breast milk of at least two mothers. The WHO said that scientists still don’t know how much of the virus is present in breast milk and for how long it might remain there. Researchers also question whether mothers who have had Zika can pass along protective antibodies through their breast milk.

Despite these unknowns, the WHO says that for babies exposed to Zika after birth, there have been no reported cases of brain damage or neurological problems. Therefore, the agency believes that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the risks and is encouraging women in Zika-affected areas to continue.

Condom Use at All-Time Low for University of Minnesota Students

The University of Minnesota wants its students to use condoms to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Like many schools, it makes condoms available free of charge at various places around campus. But a survey says that condom use among students is down and, not surprisingly, STIs are up.

The survey was done with about 2,000 students, none of whom were married or in long-term committed relationships. It found that only 52 percent used a condom the last time they had sex. This is down from 60 percent just five years ago. The number of students reporting an STI diagnosis is, in contrast, up from 6 percent in 2013 to 9 percent this year.

On-campus health center officials do not know for sure what has prompted the drop in condoms use, but speculate that increased access to other forms of birth control (such as the IUD) and a decreased sense of urgency about HIV may be part of the cause.