The Cautious Generation

WASHINGTON, December 11, 2004 - Teen sexual behavior has become more cautious, according to new data released yesterday by the federal government. In 2002, 47 percent of teen girls (down from 52 percent in 1995) and 46 percent of teen boys (down from 55 percent in 1995) report having had sexual intercourse. Teen girls are now more likely than boys to have had sexual intercourse. Teens are also waiting until they are older before having sex -- in 2002, 13 percent of teen girls and 15 percent of teen boys have had sex before age 15 (down from 19 percent and 21 percent respectively in 1995). Between 1995 and 2002, contraceptive use among sexually active teens also increased significantly.

The new research is contained in the National Survey of Family Growth released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. The data is considered both a goldmine of information and the gold standard of research about teen sexual behavior.

"This new and important information makes clear that teens are being more cautious about sex and underscores the importance of both strongly encouraging teens to delay sex and emphasizing the importance of sexually active teens using contraception consistently and carefully," said Bill Albert, Communications Director of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Other findings of interest:

-- Nearly one third of teens (31 percent of boys and 29 percent of girls) have not discussed sex, contraception, and/or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) with their parents.

-- Of those teens who have not had sex, the primary reason for their decision was that it was "against religion or morals."

-- Adolescents have an 18 percent chance of having a child during their teen years and most births to teens under age 18 are unintended (88 percent).

-- A small but significant minority of teens (13 percent of girls and 15 percent of boys) said they would be "pleased" if they got pregnant/got someone pregnant.

-- Nearly one in ten (9 percent) teen girls describe the first time they had sexual intercourse as non-voluntary. Many more teens (66 percent of girls and 39 percent of boys) say they had "mixed feelings" about the first time they had sex or that they "didn't really want it to happen at the time."

-- Overall, 31 percent of teen boys and 28 percent of teen girls have had two or more sexual partners. Nearly six in ten (57 percent) of those teens who first had sex before age 15 have had four or more sexual partners.

-- About one-third of teens (34 percent) have not received "formal instruction" about contraception before age 18.

-- 11 percent of teen boys and 13 percent of teen girls have taken a pledge to remain a virgin until marriage.

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