Teen Sex Doubles Depression Risk in Girls

Teenage girls who are sexually active are twice as likely to become depressed, says a new study.

Among teenage girls, 19% who had had sex exhibited symptoms of depression, compared to 9.2% of the girls who had not had sex.

No link between sexual activity and depression was found among boys in the same age group, however.

According to the researchers, sex leaves teen girls with feelings of guilt and shame and this contributes to their depression. Teen boys do not feel the same pressures from society.

The study appears in the Journal of Health Economics.