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Have Sex Young
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Teen pregnancy is at a record low in the U.S. , and a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may explain why.
The new data, collected from 2011-2013, shows that adolescents are delaying sex, being more responsible with birth control and have better birth control access and perhaps more cultural support than any previously studied generation. Still, there are improvements to be made, particularly for some groups who are at higher risk of pregnancy than their peers. Here's what we learned from the latest data on teens and sex:
Teens are continuing to delay sex for longer, said the CDC's lead author Gladys Martinez. Back in 1988, 51 percent of teen girls and 60 percent of teen boys reported having sex at least once between the ages of 15 to 19. Now those numbers are 44 percent and 47 percent, respectively, holding steady from a previous CDC report that used data collected between 2006 to 2010.
Teens who delay sex until older adolescence, or age 17 and up, are more likely to use birth control during their first sexual encounter. This is significant, explained Martinez, because teen girls who used birth control that first time were half as likely to become teen moms than those who did not.
"The data on sex activity and contraceptive use, linked together with the data on the probability of having a teen birth, all line up in helping explain the recent decline in teen birth rates,” Martinez concluded.
The chart on the left shows that rates of sexual activity are holding steady with 2006 to 2010 levels, while the chart on the right shows that teens who don't use birth control for their first time are more likely to become pregnant in their teenage years.
The vast majority of teens (79 percent of girls, and 84 percent of boys) use birth control during their first time, and condoms were their most commonly-reported method. Martinez pointed out that in addition to being cheap and accessible, condoms are the only birth control methods that also protect against disease.
Also of note: Emergency contraception use rose from eight percent in 2002 to 22 percent in 2011-2013 .
The most likely explanation for this major increase is the changing access to emergency contraception, Martinez hypothesized, as it is now available over the counter with no age limits .
Gender Equality Is Improving Sexual Health
“In the previous decade, if a girl had a condom with her, there was a fear she’d be called a slut,” said Brindis. “But a woman’s right to be protected against an unintended pregnancy or STD or HIV has become a greater part of the social norm, so those numbers have been increasing over time."
The graphic above shows that while condoms are the most popular method of birth control at 97 percent, withdrawal comes in second at 60 percent. The pill, the patch and depo provera, a hormonal injection, are on the decline, while emergency contraception and hormonal implants are up.
Considering how dicey the withdrawal method is as a means of birth control ( Planned Parenthood warns it takes a great deal of "self-control, experience, and trust”), it’s alarming to see how many teens report having used it at least once to avoid pregnancy. But Martinez notes that it mirrors adult use; 60 percent of U.S. women also report using withdrawal at least once.
Brindis also emphasized that this data shows “ever use,” as in, has a person ever used a given method of birth control, even one time. By no means does it indicate that withdrawal is some teens’ primary method of birth control, she said. Instead, high pullout rates mean simply that adults have to do a better job helping teens anticipate sexual encounters.
"It may not be the best safety net, but it is a safety net that young people may have to rely on when they’re caught in the moment,” she said. "We have to help young people anticipate what happens in that moment."
The bottom line here: the kids are alright, but we shouldn't pat ourselves on the back just yet. U.S. teen pregnancy rates, while historically low at 26.5 per 1,000 women , are still the highest among nations that track this sort of data.
"We’re not in the promised land yet, but we’re going in the right direction and it’s taken a whole village to make an impact on this issue," said Brindis. If the U.S. wants to continue on this path, she said, the country needs to start zeroing in on at-risk teen subgroups that still might see parenthood as a more fulfilling and realistic path than college or career training.
"We need jobs and we need kids to graduate from high school," Brindis concluded. "These kinds of strategies that go beyond the availability of condoms and clinics are a very important part of the formula."
10 Must-Know Birth Control Facts See Gallery
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Professor Claire Brindis, an expert on teen health at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health at University of California, San Francisco, thinks that the report’s findings are “great news” for American teens. Brindis credited everything from the Affordable Care Act to condom visibility in films -- look no further than the recent “Trainwreck” for evidence -- for higher rates of birth control use and the continued delay of teens' first sexual experience. She also said that changing social norms about a woman’s sexuality have contributed to smarter sexual choices in teens.

Magnesium Deficiency: A Commonly Overlooked Health Issue
Catherine Taylor

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Middle school youth are engaging in sexual intercourse as early as age 12, according to a study by researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health.
Christine Markham, Ph.D., assistant professor of behavioral science at the UT School of Public Health, and colleagues examined sexual risk behaviors among middle school students in a large southeastern U.S. urban public school district.
In the study, Dr Markham, lead researcher and colleagues defined sexual intercourse as vaginal, oral or anal sex. According to their research, by age 12, 12 percent of students had already engaged in vaginal sex, 7.9 percent in oral sex, 6.5 percent in anal sex and 4 percent in all three types of intercourse.
Markham states that these findings are alarming because youth who start having sex before age 14 are much more likely to have multiple lifetime sexual partners, use alcohol or drugs before sex and have unprotected sex, all of which puts them at greater risk for getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or becoming pregnant.
The study found one-third of sexually active students reported engaging in vaginal or anal sex without a condom within the past three months, and one-fourth had four or more partners.
Dr Markam recommends developing prevention programs that address the needs of students who are not yet sexually active in order to promote skills and attitudes to help them wait until they are older to have sex. She also added that there is a need to provide skills and knowledge related to condoms and contraception for youth who are already sexually active. The study also recommends that sexually active students also need to receive accurate and factual information and services related to STDs and pregnancy testing, as well as skills for future abstention and risk reduction for those who intend to remain sexually active.
A common misperception among adolescents is that oral or anal intercourse is not as risky for STD transmission but we know that transmission of non-viral and viral STDs can occur through all three types of intercourse when condoms are not used. So why are our teens missing these facts?
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 80 percent of the 435,427 births to mothers ages 15 to 19 were the result of unintended pregnancies. According to the National Vital Statistics Report, birth rates among Hispanic and black teens remain higher than other racial/ethnic groups, including rates among those ages 10 to 14.
How can our EmpowHer members help teens get more educated about this problem so they can make those choices that ensure a better future for them?
I am glad that you simply shared this useful information with us.
I was raised in a strict but loving christian family, I was above average in my class, I never got into any trouble. I never did drugs or alcohol, I never went to a single party throughout middle school and/or high school, not because I wasnt allowed to but because it just wasnt my scene. However, I lost my virginity when I was 15 to my high school sweetheart, because I wanted to.. I guess explore. I was not pressured into having sex. I wasn't the kind of girl that got pressured into doing anything. I do not regret the person I lost my virginity to, but if I could change anything, I would have waited until we were older. I never got pregnant or contracted any STDs, luckily. My point is, kids are going to do stupid things, hence the saying, "You live and you learn" You just have to be there for them without the judgement.
Me, myself got brought up in the right way and sexual relations was always talked about within the family, this didn't stop me going out just after my 14th birthday and losing my virginity! Nothing to do with the parents for children doing this, you can be brought up in the best way possible and still turn to drink, drugs and end up pregnant at an early age! Kids so young are doing it because of peer pressure and the 'friends' they hang around with. When I lost my virginity I felt presured into doing it! There is always going to be peer pressure when you go through school. Being supportive of your child no matter what mistakes they make will help them with achieveing the best of they're potential on not being judgemental of they're mistakes! I regret what I did, but you learn from your mistakes.
"youth who start having sex before age 14 are much more likely to have multiple lifetime sexual partners, use alcohol or drugs before sex and have unprotected sex, all of which puts them at greater risk for getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or becoming pregnant."
how does drinking alcohol get you pregnant?!
retards shouldnt write articles.
Drinking alcohol doesn't get girls pregnant, it is an added risk. Which is exactly what the article said.
Retards shouldn't comment on articles.
Alysiak, I agree totally but statistics today paint a dismal picture with no quick answers. In the meantime we have young women exposing themselves to risky behaviors like: unprotected sex, multiple partners, STDs in what seems to be a world of "accepted" norms of engagement. Who do we blame? As a parent of two teens (15 and 13) I must say that I have been blessed with two smart, wonderful kids. They grew up with boundaries of behavior and were encourage to build self-respect. My hubby and I always talked to them from an early age about sexuality, sexual relations and about consequences of risky behaviors and abstinence! I do not believe in taking my daughter to a doctor to get her birth control pills. She is not sexually active and I am sure she will not be for years to come. She is focused on her academics, sports and shopping. She does not date and does not want to date either. But she is socially active at activities sponsored by our church where kids her age share the same value system. My son already knows about what is coming biologically and emotionally. However, on his own he has told me he will not date until he is in college. Gosh! I pray that he does not change his mind...
I'd like to know where the parents are in all of this! We, as parents, should be the primary role models for our children. I believe that, if we do present good models leading by example, instill a healthy sense of self worth and respect for oneself, teach our children about morality - and pay attention to what they're doing, the signs of inappropriate behavior and such - we can help reduce this risky behavior among our adolescents.
The other major problem that we, as parents, need to address well, if not better, is the rampant sexuality exhibited by the entertainment stars our adolescents "idolize" and want to emulate. If ever there was a blatant example of where sex sells, it's in the entertainment industry. And then there is the fashion industry, encouraging young teens to dress like a garden tool, yeesh!
your wrong, the reason people my age do stuff like that is they trust there friends to much. I trust no one because I was bullied. I am 12, about 2 in 6 of the people in my wealthy private school have had some form of sex. It is sickening especially because they talk about it openly.
The study's recommendation of separate programs for non-sexually active youngsters and those that are already sexually active is of particular importantance. This a very important subject that often gets politicized on the basis of morality without due consideration between what is ideal for sexuality in young people and what is really going on in terms of the economic and public health consequencies of the risky sexual behavior among children at such young people as featured in this study. More impressive studies such this one by Dr. Markham et al, will hopefully continue to clarify the subject and map a winning way forward to protecting our youth.
Too bad!!! STD cases on the rise!
A friend of mine who works for the largest STD dating == Positivefish. com == told me that the new subscribers have increased 30% over 2008. Rising STD rate sparks online dating sites.
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I’m 15 . . . Am I too young to have sex?

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A lot of teens wonder if there is a “right” age to have sex . Many adults would agree that 15 is too young to have sexual intercourse . But how old you are in years isn’t the only way to know when and if it’s the right time to have sex. Here are some things that people consider when they try to determine if they’re ready to have sex:
Sex doesn’t prove love or make people more in love. It doesn’t make you into an adult overnight either. And the truth is that everybody isn’t doing it. Actually, most high school students aren’t. The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, a national survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2009 found that 66.8 percent of high school students are not engaging in sexual behaviors. That’s more than half!
Here are some things you need to be able to do before you’re ready for sex. Talk to your partner about your relationship, sex, birth control and/or safer sex , sexually transmitted diseases (STDs ) and your feelings about each of those things.
Visit a clinic near you to get the information and protection you need to be safe and responsible.
If you’re afraid to have any of these conversations with your partner or to visit a clinic or see your doctor about birth control and safer sex, then you’re not ready. Wait until you’re sure. You’ll be happiest when you do what’s right for you.
An intrauterine device (IUD) is a small T-shaped object that is inserted into (and eventually removed from) the uterus…
It’s really great that your partner was so open and honest about his or her STD testing results. It’s often hard…
Alcohol can make someone feel less uncomfortable and less inhibited—which can be really bad in a sexual situation. Ask…

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