11
Only about 5 percent of students had sexual intercourse for the
first time before they reached the age of thirteen.
While a large number of teens have had sex at least once,
this does not necessarily mean teens are having a lot of sex.
Research indicates that a much smaller percentage of teens are
actually having sex on a regular basis or are having sex with a
lot of people. The CDC found that although almost 47 percent
of teens surveyed reported having sex before, only 39 percent
were actually considered to be sexually active, meaning that
they had had sex within three months of answering the survey.
An even smaller percentage reported having had sex with lots
of partners; only 15 percent said they had had sex with four or
more people.
Demographic Differences
Studies show differences in teenage sexual behavior based on
ethnicity. African American teens are more likely than white teens
to have sex, to have multiple sex partners, and to engage in sex
at a younger age. According to the CDC, about 44 percent of
white high school students have had sex compared with about
61 percent of black students. Additionally, about 3 percent of
white teens have had sex before the age of thirteen compared
with 14 percent of black teens. Pregnancy rates are highest
among African American teens, followed by Hispanic teens, and
then white teens. The differences, experts say, are partly due
to less frequent use of contraceptives by black and Hispanic
teenagers.
Whereas the percentage of teens that have had sex is
about the same for males and females, sexual behavior varies
by gender. The CDC reports that males are more likely than
females to engage in a number of behaviors that increase
the risk of unintended pregnancy and STD infection. This in-
cludes having sex with multiple partners and using alcohol or
drugs before engaging in sexual activity. In contrast, females
are more likely to take steps to reduce the risks of pregnancy
and STDs. These steps include contraceptive use and getting
tested for HIV.
