STUDY: Having sex too early stunts genital growth
Talking about the birds and the bees can be a torturous task. Some of us may even avoid it completely. There are unwanted pregnancies, STDs and a myriad of other dangers that come with sex at an early age. But now there is even the possibility that genital and brain growth may be affected…
Some parents use the scare tactic to instill fear in their kids to prevent them from having sex too early. We don’t blame you; there are many unknowns to be fearful of out there. We want to protect our kids from harm for as long as possible—preserve their innocence, if you will. Have you talked about sex to your kids?
We have plenty of tips on how to do so-- more and more teens are doing it, and they think casual sex is cool. Now, shockingly, a study has revealed that sexual activity at an early age may cause tinier genitals and the development of the child’s brain may even be impinged. Sounds impossible? Well, read on…
The “Study” about having sex too early
US and Japanese researchers have found this phenomenon (stunted brain and genital growth) to be present in mice and they strongly believe that the similar results will be applicable to humans too. Don’t laugh; there is a potential danger here.
The study compared young mice to adult mice—hormonal change occurred when there was sexual activity, which caused a change in their brain that affected their desire for mating. So basically, the development of young mice would be influenced when sex causes a hormonal change that is brought on before being a fully formed adult.
So what are the alarming effects? Well, the development of the brain can be limited and this causes the genitals to be stunted in growth, hence smaller in size. Having sex too early can also cause depression.
Don’t worry… yet
Here’s the thing, local doctors are not certain that this discovery affects humans as well. However, Dr. Chen, a psychiatrist, stated that people who take part in sexual activity at a young age are highly likely to get depression. The reason is simple; they are not able to fully comprehend sex at that early an age.
Sex is actually very complex and involves many implications and sometimes full fledged adults cannot handle the emotional effects of it—much less yet-to-be-fully-developed beings. Popular conventions say that we’d have to reach 21 before we can absorb and accept sex and all it’s consequences—be it positive or negative. Dr. Chen added that the very first sexual encounter is very important and carries a lot of weight because all other future experiences will bank on that—including the person’s sexual orientation and sexual fulfillment.
The effects of having sex too early
Dr. Chen also commented that: "Homosexual or unnatural sex will affect a person's future sexual orientation. If the first sexual experience is an unhappy one, it will also affect the person's interest towards sex and sexual desire."
Another doctor conducted a study in Holland on kids who partook in sexual activity under the age of twelve. The study revealed that sexual activity at an early age can lead to a unfulfilled sex life in the future. That’s not all; males will experience sexual aggression and premature ejaculation. The doctor brought to attention that: "They don't know what sex is at such a young age. The boys can easily experience erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. The girls cannot possibly enjoy sex at that age. This causes scars for both the boy and the girl, which will affect their sex lives in the future."
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Also read: Age-appropriate ways to talk to your kids about sex
Republished with permission from theAsianParent Singapore
