Sexual abstinence

Sexual abstinence or sexual restraint is the practice of refraining from sexual activity for reasons medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical, moral, religious or other. It is a part of chastity. Celibacy is sexual abstinence generally motivated by factors such as an individual's personal or religious beliefs.^[2] Sexual abstinence before marriage is required by social norms in some societies, or by law in some countries. It is distinct from asexuality, which is a sexual orientation where people feel small or no sexual attraction.

Abstinence may be voluntary (when an individual chooses not to engage in sexual activity due to moral, religious, philosophical, or other reasons), an involuntary result of social circumstances (when one cannot find any willing sexual partners), or legally mandated (e.g. in countries where sexual activity outside marriage is illegal, in prisons, etc.).

While actual abstinence prevents pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, mere attempts at abstinence have little effect on the risk of either.^[3] Access to other forms of birth control, such as emergency birth control, is thus recommended.^[3]