Continuing a tradition from last year, the British Journal of Medicine recently released a list of 6 medical myths that most people (even doctors) believe. In honor of their new tradition I'd like to add a few myths about teen and unplanned pregnancy to the list.  What myths have you heard from your friends and family?  Tell us about them in the comments field below.

6 Myths about Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy for the Holiday Season:

1. It won't happen to me.
   Nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned, which suggests that having an unplanned pregnancy is a lot more common than many people realize.  More than 80% of teen pregnancies are unplanned and a full 70% of pregnancies to single women in their twenties are unplanned as well.
   
   
2. Parents don't matter.
   Teens consistently say that teens are the most influential when it comes to their decisions about sex.  Other research also indicates that parents play a huge role in the decisions that teens make, and a close relationship between teens and their parents decreases their risk for teen pregnancy.  Worried about talking to your kids about sex, love, and relationships?  The National Campaign has some tips to get you started.
    
3. A baby will make him stay.
   In fact among teen mothers, eight out of ten fathers don't marry the mother of their child.  These absent fathers pay less than $800 annually for child support, often because they are poor themselves. Children who live apart from their fathers are also five times more likely to be poor than children with both parents at home.
   
   Women who have an unplanned pregnancy and birth are also much less likely to either move in with their partner or get married compared to women who plan their pregnancy and birth.  In fact, less than half of women who have an unplanned birth are married by the time their child is 2 years old (an additional 17% are cohabiting).
    
4. Being in a serious relationship is a good reason to stop using birth control.
   People often get lax about contraception as a relationship gets more serious and feelings become more intimate.  But as the relationship heats up, it's time to be more careful, not less.  Remember, either abstaining from sex or using contraception each and every time you have sex is the best way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.
      
5. Everybody's doing it.
   In fact, less than half (48%) of all high school student have ever had sex. Don't believe everything you hear. People lie, and exaggerate, and can talk a good game when it comes to sex. In the end, it doesn't matter who's telling the truth or not. The only truth that matters is what's best for you. Yeah, that sounds corny -- but it's true.
    
6. Because you've said "yes" once means you have to say "yes" every time.
   Just because you decided to have sex one time, or with one person, doesn't mean you have to have sex again, or with everyone.  Most teen girls (53%) and one-third of teen boys (33%) say they had mixed feelings about having sex the first time it happened.