LOS ANGELES — In a culture where sex sells, abstinence can be a tough sell with teenagers.
For years, doctors were reluctant to promote abstinence with teens. They didn't want to preach, so they emphasized safe sex and condoms. But for a growing number of physicians, abstinence is in. Nearly half of America's high school health classes are advocating holding off on sex, and the message is moving from the classroom to the examining room.
"I think you can shift greatly the numbers that are going to be involved in sexual activity by teaching abstinence simply with a lot of good medical information," said Dr. John Whiffen of the National Physicians Center.
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