How do I know if I am ready to have sex?

We can try to guide you toward an answer by giving you this list of questions to ask yourself. Hopefully, once you get to the end of the list, you’ll have a clearer idea of what’s best for you.

1. Are you old enough to be legally allowed to have sex? If you are under the age of consent established by your state’s laws, you are not legally allowed to agree to have sex with somebody. 

If you decide to do it anyway, you’ll be breaking the law.

2. Do you know how sex works? Are you aware of exactly what you and your partner are going to do? 

Don’t expect your partner to take care of everything; it’s your body, and you need to be informed. Also, chances are your partner knows about as much—or as little—as you do.

3. Do you know the risks you’ll be exposed to during sex for example, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and unwanted pregnancy, and do you know what to do to minimize those risks? 

More important, have you made firm plans to minimize the risks?

4. O you know that taking precautions will greatly reduce the risk of stis, HIV, and pregnancy, but precautions will not eliminate the risk completely?
5. Do you feel ready to accept the possibility (even if it’s small because you’re taking precautions) that you might get pregnant or infected with a disease?
6. Do you and your partner both feel ready for this step, or is one of you trying to convince the other? 

Being dragged into sex when you still have doubts is like driving with the parking brake on—not a great experience.

7. How long have you been in this relationship? Have you had enough time together, enough ups and downs, to really test the strength of your feelings and to see how much you care for each other?
8. Sex is not just about love; it’s also about trust and respect. Do you and your partner trust and respect each other? How do you know?
9. You will always remember your first time. Do you think your partner is the right choice for sharing this unique moment?
10. Suppose that for some reason this relationship falls apart, and a few months after the breakup you find the love of your life—but the gift of your first time is no longer yours to give. How would you feel? 

Would you feel okay because at the time you thought your partner was “the one,” or would you feel terrible because you had doubts that you chose to ignore?

11. Have you thought about how you’re going to feel about yourself afterward?
12. What about your friends? Do you think their opinions of you are going to change once they find out? If so, do you care?

Hopefully these questions helped you to figure out what’s best for you. If you still have doubts, it probably means that you should wait a bit more.