Virginity pledge

A virginity pledge is a commitment, usually made in a group, to practice abstinence until marriage. These pledges are usually symbolized by purity rings, or covenant cards.

According to the Heritage Foundation, teens who make virginity pledges enjoy the following life outcomes :

• Are less likely to experience teen pregnancy;
• Are less likely to be sexually active while in high school and as young adults;
• Are less likely to give birth as teens or young adults;
• Are less likely to give birth out of wedlock;
• Are less likely to engage in risky unpro­tected sex; and
• Will have fewer sexual partners.

Effectiveness of Virginity Pledges

A December 2008 study, which was conducted by the American Association of Pediatrics and Harvard University and will be published in the journal Pediatrics, suggests that virginity pledges are statistically ineffective. The study found that 5 years after taking the pledge:

• 82% of pledgers denied taking the pledge
• Pledgers and non-pledgers did not differ in rates of premarital sex, sexual transmitted disease, or oral/anal intercourse
• Total partners over the previous year was only 0.1 fewer for pledgers, and over the course of a life time, pledgers and non-pledgers had the same average number of sexual partners

More over, the study found that pledgers engaged in riskier sex than non-pledgers in that pledgers were 10% less likely to use birth control as compared to non-pledgers.