Many teenagers admit going too far sexually than intended while they are drunk leading to pregnancies and spread of diseases, senior doctors have warned
Many teenagers admit going too far sexually than intended while they are drunk leading to pregnancies and spread of diseases, senior doctors have warned
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According to the Royal College of Physicians, excessive drinking and sex was a "cocktail" for teenage pregnancies and infections.
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The report urged GPs and nurses to ask teenagers about their drinking habits when they turn up to sexual health clinics for contraception or the morning-after pill.
The organisation highlighted research showing that a fifth of 14 and 15-year-old girls said they did more sexually than they wanted to while drunk.
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More than 80 percent of 16 to 30-year-olds said they drank before sexual activity.
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The college said that one million teenagers attend sexual health clinics every year to get free contraception, the morning-after pill or to undergo tests and treatment for sexually transmitted infections.
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It said that this provides doctors and nurses with a "key opportunity" to find out about youngsters' drinking habits and warn them about the dangers of going overboard.
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"The links between alcohol use and poor sexual health have been recognised for some time, yet the services available do not reflect this clear association," the Daily Mail quoted Simon Barton, chair of the RCP's Alcohol and Sexual Health Working Party as saying.
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"Failing to discuss alcohol consumption with a patient accessing sexual health services is a missed opportunity.
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"Although services that aim to tackle this problem cannot be effective in isolation, there is a real opportunity for sexual health services to support people both in identifying their behavioural risks and in empowering them to take action," he said.
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The report looked at a survey carried out on 14 and 15-year-old girls in Rochdale in 2004, which found that a fifth had gone further than intended when drunk.
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A separate study of 2,000 15 and 16-year-olds from 1991 found that 11 percent regretted having sex after drinking.
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"Nurses are often the first point of contact when dealing with sexual health issues," Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said.
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"Robust regulation on the sale of alcohol, along with sensible minimum pricing and educational campaigns, is also desperately needed," he added.
