Story highlights The U.S. government has invested more than $100 million in abstinence-only programming

Experts say sexuality education should be coming from classrooms, pediatricians and parents

(CNN) Has the word "no" ever stopped you from doing something you desperately wanted to do?

Although refraining from having sexual intercourse is a sure-fire way to prevent pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, a recent report published in the journal Pediatrics concluded that abstinence-only programs are ineffective in delaying the initiation of sex. The federal government has invested more than $100 million into abstinence-only sexuality education since an eight-point definition of abstinence education was enacted in 1996 under the Social Security Act.

Dr. Cora Breuner of Seattle Children's Hospital, one of the report's lead authors, says the main element to consider when talking about sexual education is that the conversation should be about health first.

"This isn't a religious or cultural discussion at all. It's about safety, health and the future of our children," Breuner said. "Then you layer onto it and say, 'this is not what people in our culture or religion approve of, but this is what it is.' It's an open dialogue."

Abstinence-only sexual education is taught in some public schools and other community outlets. "The most effective means of birth control is to wait, but this curriculum is not the best way to disseminate that," Breuner said. "Teaching kids about healthy sex prevents a lot of significant problems. It doesn't promote being sexually active."

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