Deciding to have sex is a big deal.  Opinions vary on how big a deal it is but at the very least it is a physician and emotional intimacy that can result in lifelong consequences. With sexual activity comes responsibilities for you and your partner’s physical and emotional health. Ask yourself the following questions to see if you are ready to have a sexual relationship:

• Is your decision to have sex completely your own
• Is your decision to have sex based on your right reasons
• Do you feel your partner would respect any decision you made about whether to have sex or not
• Are you able to comfortably talk to your partner about sex and your sexual history
• Have you and your partner talked about what both of you would do if you became pregnant or got an STI
• Do you know how to prevent pregnancy and STIs
• Are you and your partner willing to use contraception to prevent pregnancy and STI’s
• Have you thought about where sex fits into your (your partner’s) personal values
• Are you and your partner on the same page regarding the privacy of your sexual activity
• How will your decision affect your relationship with your family

If you answered no, or don’t know the answer to any of these questions, you are probably not ready to have sex. If you think you should have sexual intercourse because others want you to, or you feel like you should since everyone else is doing it, it may be helpful for you to rethink your decision to be sexually active. If you are having a hard time with any of these issues there is no harm in waiting.  Ask for advice from a parent, your doctor or other trusted adult. The consequences of the decisions you make about sexual intimacy can be lifelong.  Take as much time as you need to make the right choice