An interview with Dr. Mark Schuster, the author of Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids To Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask)
By Valentina Cardenas, 17, Ramona Convent (Alhambra)
This interview contains frank information about teens and sex. After consulting with L.A. Youth’s teen staff and their friends at various schools, we prepared these questions to give teens the information they want to know, but might be afraid to ask. Our purpose is not to offend, but rather to help teens make informed decisions.
Dr. Mark Schuster, director of the UCLA/Rand Center for Adolescent Health Promotion, answered our questions about sex. His book for parents, “Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids To Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask)” was published in 2003.
Many teens assume that using two condoms during vaginal intercourse would prevent pregnancy more effectively than one condom would. Is that true?
“That’s not a good idea because it makes it more likely for them to break, the friction of the latex over latex.”
What happens if they have sex without any contraceptives? What happens after that?
“There’s nothing to prevent disease at that point. They can prevent pregnancy. You should be checked by a doctor and you can get emergency contraception, which is really just very high doses of the same hormones that are in contraceptive pills. They can call the doctor or the pharmacist and get them.” [Editor's note: Emergency contraception should be taken within three days (72 hours) of unprotected intercourse.]
As far as the pill, for people who take the pill to be on a regular cycle, or for acne, would that still serve as a contraceptive pill allowing them to have sex?
“Usually I would think that if you’re taking it for acne, you would be covered for pregnancy, but that’s a really important question the woman would have to discuss with her doctor.”