It seems a pledge made by teens to refrain from having premarital sex is not enough to actually keep them from going through with it. Not only was the pledge not enough for teenagers to refrain from sexual conduct, the group of teenagers who took the virginity pledge were less likely to use a condom or other form of birth control compared to the non-pledge group.

Times have changed in so many ways from when our parents and grandparents were growing up. Many of our elders married as virgins, most before the age of 25. In more recent years, we have begun to hear of more sexually transmitted diseases, possibly because of the growing number of teens having sex before marriage and with multiple partners. Whether it is peer pressure, the fact that less people are attending church and being taught why abstinence is important, there has definitely been a swing in the norm in the last several decades, as far as sex before marriage is concerned.

After five years, over 80 percent of the teens who had taken the abstinence pledge denied doing so. Rosenbaum said “This high rate of disaffiliation may imply that nearly all virginity pledgers view pledges as nonbinding.” The percentage of teenagers involved in the research that took part in sexual behavior was 57 percent in the pledge group and 50 percent in the non-pledge group. Even more bothersome to me, was the fact that of those taking part in sexual behavior, only 46 percent who pledged abstinence used birth control and the percentage wasn’t much better with the non-pledge group at 52 percent. The groups on average did wait until later to take part in sexual activity than the U.S. national average according to the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University in Bloomington. The average age of both the pledge and non-pledge groups were 21 and the national average was 17.

Sex in teenagers is a huge issue here in the U.S., whether the issue is with babies having babies, the fact that STD’s are being transferred through our teenage population rapidly or the emotional aspect of giving yourself sexually to someone, at such a young age. Parents, teachers, church communities, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters and friends, we can’t rely on promises of our teens to refrain from sexual activity. We must educate our teens on precautions and responsibilities they have when deciding to venture down the road of sexuality. Many issues would be avoided with abstinence until marriage, but in today’s society, that is no longer the norm, and we must make sure our teenagers realize the consequences and understand the ways to protect themselves.

If you are considering an elective or non-emergency Cesarean section for the birth of your infant, make sure that the timing is right. Infants tend to do better after a scheduled Caesarean section if they are born no sooner than seven days before their due date. Those that are delivered earlier than their due date had more complications, such as breathing problems, even though they were full term. Just a few days can make a difference.

These facts were reported by researchers in Thursday’s new england journal of medicine . The findings offer important guidance to the growing number of expectant mothers who face planned C-sections. Also, the study supports the recommendations that elective C-sections be scheduled after 39 weeks into the pregnancy unless tests show that the infant’s lungs are fully mature. The due date is normally set at 40 weeks gestation and infants are considered full term at 37 weeks.

In the recent study, the researchers led by Dr. Alan Tita of the University of Alabama at Birmingham examined a registry for C-sections from 19 academic medical centers to see how many of the procedures were being performed before the recommended 39 weeks and if the timing made any difference in the risk for complications. They focused on 13,258 women who had a single child with a planned Caesarean and who had previously gave birth the same way. Some cases where medical issues warranted the early or immediate delivery were excluded. The infants were then followed until they left the hospital or for four months.

The new study only looked at the live births, and did not account for the small risk of the baby dying while waiting to reach the 39 weeks. That risk has been estimated up to 1 in 1,000 births.

The time to stretch out with yoga is now. As we welcome 2009 with a fresh start, part of your resolution might include getting fit with the ancient stretching and breathing exercises known as yoga. Yoga isn’t all just posing and breathing, however, it’s also about having the right equipment to practice with.

With yoga as an ongoing trend in health and fitness, the equipment is as important as the studios, instructors, and clothes in terms of overall performance. When you are preparing to go to yoga class, make sure to wear yoga pants or shorts that are loose fitting or stretchy so you can move freely without bunching or being uncomfortable. Pair the loose pants or shorts with a tank top, t-shirt and/or a sports bra depending on coverage you are comfortable with. No special shoes are required, barefoot is the way to go, so slip on flip flops on your way to the studio.

Beyond having comfy clothes for your yoga experience, the next step is to get a good yoga mat. Probably the most important part of yoga is to stay balanced and poised in the positions within your own space and buying your own mat is the safest, most sanitary way to ensure a positive energy throughout your workout.

Yoga mats are often a bumpy texture and known in most circles as “sticky mats.” Made of synthetic materials (although you can also find some made of natural materials), mats provide traction so you don’t slip during poses and come in many different colors for a range of prices starting around fifteen to twenty dollars. In order to protect your feet and hands from the harsh, hard nature of the floor, a thin and cushioned yoga mat is essential for comfort and cleanliness. Specialty mats are available for taller people and can be found at boutique stores, yoga retail outlets, and online.

Yoga straps or belts are also like the yoga block in order to help you achieve positions that beginners may not be experienced enough for yet. For certain foot and hand placements, yoga straps can create the position for you.

Millions of men suffer each year from an enlarged prostate gland. There are multiple medications available on the market today for treatment, but what price do men pay for their use? What effects do these medications have on the health of their bones?

Some researchers have estimated that more than 8 million men in the United States between the ages of 50-79 will have to deal with an enlarged prostate gland by the year 2010. Prescription medication is the primary course of treatment. The medications that treat an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia , come in two different groups: alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. The medications are used to treat BPH in part by blocking testosterone from converting to dihydrotestosterone.

The researchers gathered information on 7,076 men that were ages 45 and older, from the year 1997 to 2006, all of which did have hip fractures. They then compared these men with another group of 7,076 similar men that did not have hip fractures.

Interestingly, the research team also found that there was a modest increase in the risk for a hip fracture in the men who took alpha-blockers (such as Cardura, Flomax, Hytrin, and Uroxatral). There was more use of alpha-blockers (32%) in the men that had hip fractures vs. the men that did not have hip fractures (30%). Since this was not the primary focus of the study, the researchers write that this information warrants further investigation.

The researchers also noted that they only studied older men and that more research need to be conducted on the long term risks of these medications in younger men.