The moment I told my parents I had to buy condoms, my father sucked in his breath and got the strangest look on his face. And my mother, well, she was just shocked. Telling my parents wasn't the only hard part. (But don't worry, things got better!)

I was only once, and I didn't get pregnant, but the consequences will still haunt me for the rest of my life.

Did you know February 14 was Valentine's Day and National Condom Day? This got me thinking about how I learned to use a condom. It was this past summer when I became a teen editor for Sex, Etc. and received a three-day sexual health training.

Sixteen-year-old Sabrina, of Edison, NJ, grew up believing that she’d be abstinent until marriage.  But last spring, Sabrina found her first love.  

What's small, comes in different colors, sizes, and flavors, and is 98-percent effective when used correctly? A condom

"I wanted to have sex before I was in tenth grade. It seemed like everyone was already doing it," says Laura, 17, from Trenton, NJ. But she didn't worry about the risks until after she missed her period...

Imagine this scenario: Jim and Stacey are high school seniors who've been dating for a year. After talking it over, they decide they are mature and careful enough to have sex. 

Guys, beware. If you get a girl pregnant, you have no legal say in what she decides to do.