A recently released federal report from the CDC sheds light on changing trends in teenage sexual activity and contraception usage.
The findings, drawn from the National Survey of Family Growth data spanning 2015 to 2019, highlight a decline in the percentage of teens engaging in heterosexual vaginal intercourse before marriage, particularly among boys.
According to the CDC report, 38.7% of boys and 40.5% of girls aged 15 to 19 reported engaging in heterosexual vaginal sex before marriage. Notably, this marks a decrease from previous years, especially for boys, where the percentage of sexually active boys dropped from 44% in 2015.
While girls’ sexual activity remained relatively consistent over time, the overall numbers for both genders decreased in 2019.
The CDC report’s data, collected from over 21,000 men and women, including 3,800 teenage boys and girls, emphasized the significance of understanding sexual activity, contraception use, and childbearing experiences to assess the risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
CDC Report on Teen Sexual Behavior Analysis
Encouragingly, the report revealed that nearly 80% of teenage girls used contraception during their first heterosexual encounter, while more than 90% of teenage boys utilized contraception during their initial sexual experience with a female. This represents a substantial increase in contraceptive use among young adults since 2002.
Moreover, there was a shift in the types of contraception being used. The use of long-acting reversible contraceptives, such as IUDs and implants, surged among teenage girls from 5.8% between 2011 and 2015 to 19.2% between 2015 and 2019.
Conversely, there was a slight decline in condom usage among boys, accompanied by an uptick in contraceptive pills and other hormonal methods.
Additionally, the CDC report noted increased usage of emergency contraceptive pills, commonly known as the morning-after pill or Plan B, among sexually active teenage girls.
While the findings suggest a reduced risk of STIs and unplanned pregnancies, concerns persist. For instance, a significant number of teenage girls reported not using any contraception during their first sexual encounter.
The CDC report serves as a critical resource for understanding evolving trends in teenage sexual behavior and the need for comprehensive sexual education and access to contraception.
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