It's important for children to learn about body safety and boundaries.
Empowering them with information can help them recognize unsafe situations and may help protect them from abuse.
“Children and teens who feel in control of their bodies are less likely to fall...
The U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade and the resulting media coverage is likely causing anxiety for many people, including children.
Sex Ed -- it's been a staple of public education for decades, but new research shows that only half of American teens are getting instruction that meets minimum standards.
"The findings show that most adolescents are not receiving sex education that will enable them to m...
Child abuse and neglect can do significant and long-lasting damage, according to a six-decade review of British data.
The analysis of records dating to the late 1950s found that children who experienced physical or sexual abuse were more likely to die early as adults.
More teens in the United States are reporting their sexual identity as gay, lesbian or bisexual, nationwide surveys show.
Between 2015 and 2019, the percentage of 15- to 17-year-olds who said they identified as "non-heterosexual" rose from 8.3% to 11.7%, according to nat...
People who began having oral sex at a young age or at greater "intensity" may face an increased risk of a type of throat cancer, a new study finds.
The study, published online Jan. 11 in the journal Cancer, focused on oropharyngeal cancer caused by human papillo...
Greater reproductive rights for women -- such as access to sex education and birth control -- are associated with lower rates of low birth weight babies, a new study finds.
Reproductive rights refer to a woman's right to plan motherhood. This includes use of birth c...
A testosterone-lowering drug can reduce male pedophiles' risk of sexually abusing children, according to a new Swedish study.
The drug, called degarelix, is used to treat prostate cancer and turns off production of testosterone. It's given by injection every three mo...
Sexual health programs appear to help increase condom use and abstinence among black American teens, researchers say.
They analyzed data from 29 studies that examined the effect of school- and community-based programs on nearly 12,000 teens.
"We focused on ...
Many American parents haven't talked with their young children about inappropriate touching, a new poll finds.
Experts recommend starting that discussion during a child's preschool years, but the nationwide poll of more than 1,100 parents of 2- to 9-year-olds found t...
Teenagers who've experimented with opioid painkillers are likely to be taking other health risks, a new study finds.
In a national survey of U.S. high school students, 14% said they had ever "misused" a prescription opioid such as Vicodin, OxyContin or Percocet. ...
The United States could be approaching a state of herd immunity against human papillomavirus (HPV), a virus linked to several cancers.
Oral HPV infections declined by 37% among unvaccinated 18- to 59-year-old men between 2009 and 2016, according to a Sept. 10 repor...
Parents who worry about discussing sex with their kids can relax: New research shows it leads teens to adopt safer practices and doesn't make them more likely to become sexually active.
That's the upshot of an analysis of 31 studies on the effectiveness of parent-bas...
Parents of budding teens can breathe a little easier: A new study says adolescent "sexting" is not an epidemic.
On the other hand, it's not disappearing, either, despite campaigns to curb it.
"Sexting is perceived as an epidemic because the news highlights...
Teens who feel connected with others at home and school have fewer serious health problems and risks as young adults, a new study suggests.
Young adults who had higher levels of connectedness -- feeling engaged, supported and cared for at home and at school -- when t...
Parents, here's another reason your teenager should get enough sleep: A new study suggests tired teens may be more likely to have unsafe sex.
Researchers analyzed data collected from 1,850 teens in Southern California between 2013 and 2017. The participants were 16 i...
In many U.S. states, teenagers who send "sext" messages to each other can be prosecuted as child pornographers -- and that should end, researchers argue.
Many states have recently passed laws that specifically address teen sexting -- exempting it, to varying degrees,...
Talking to your children about sex can be awkward, but new research suggests that parents need to have those conversations much earlier than they do.
In two national surveys, investigators found that between 4% and 8% of boys reported having sex before they ...
Having confidential talks with a health care provider is important for teens and young adults, but they rarely get the chance to do so, a new study finds.
"Discussing confidentiality and having private time with a provider are critical components of comprehensive cli...