Sexual Readiness? / Question
Published: September 14, 2000
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I am a girl from Greece. My age is 18 and I would like to ask you some important questions. I have a boyfriend who is 25 and we have discussed having sex. We have had an 8-month relationship. The good thing is that he does not pressure me at all and he said to me that when I feel ready we will do it. He respects me, and I respect him. How do I feel? Well, I feel that I am ready, ready to do it with him. But I am afraid of a lot of things, and this makes me wonder if it is actually the right time. You see, this will be my first time. Is there a right time or is it up to us to decide? Another question, I weight 130 lbs and am 5'5" in height. Is this the appropriate weight for my height? I look forward to your replies. Thank you for your time and I hope to have mail from you soon.
Signed: Greece - Sex And Weight
Dear Greece - Sex And Weight,
Both of your questions are excellent and very common. Thinking about having sex for the first time is difficult and it is not our place to tell you if this is the right time or not. This decision is completely up to you. One thing TeenHealthFX can say is that waiting to make sure that you are ready is the best decision that you could have made. It is natural to feel scared of having sex for the first time. A lot of people ask "What Will Sex Be Like the First Time?". It is different for everyone, but your boyfriend and you seem to share a good relationship. He seems to be giving you plenty of space to make up your own mind. However, if you still have questions and are scared, don't jump into the situation until you are absolutely confident that this is the right time, the right person.
Sex is a big step in your life, one that will change it forever. If you do decide that you are ready and have thought it out, please be sure to consult your doctor, a teen health center or local Planned Parenthood first in order to get the proper protection. No matter what you choose to do, make sure that it is what YOU want! If your boyfriend loves you he will respect and love you for whichever decision you choose.
You also showed concerned about your weight. It is impossible for TeenHealthFX to make a determination on the appropriateness of anyone's height and weight, since we cannot see your bone structure, or know anything about your genetic background or other factors like exercise. We calculated your Body Mass Index using the BMI scale and found it to be 21.6. A healthy BMI falls between 18-25, so yours is right on target with being normal and healthy. If you would like to see how we did this look at Appropriate Height and Weight. As long as you continue to eat healthy and maintain daily exercise your weight will remain healthy and appropriate for yourself.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
At least 50% of sexually active men and women acquire genital HPV infection at some point in their lives.
