U.S. Teen Sexual Activity

“Data about teens’ sexual experiences other than intercourse are more limited. 

In 1995, 53 percent of teen males aged 15-19 said they had been masturbated by a female (an increase from 1988); 49 percent had received oral sex; 39 percent had given oral sex; and 11 percent had engaged in anal sex.” (5)

“The median age at first intercourse is 16.9 years for boys and 17.4 years for girls.” (6)

“In 2003, 66 percent of high school students were currently abstinent, meaning they had not engaged in sexual intercourse over the last 3 months.” (4)

“Among teens ages 15-17 who have never had sexual intercourse, 94 percent said that concern about pregnancy influenced their decision to wait. Similar numbers said that concern about HIV/AIDS (92%), other STDs (92%), and feeling ‘too young’ (91%) contributed to their choice.” (11)

“References”

“(4) CDC,  Youth risk behavior surveillance summary – United States, 2003, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 2004, 53(2).
(5) Gates GJ and Sonenstein FL, Heterosexual genital activity among adolescent males: 1988 and 1995, Family Planning Perspectives, 2000, 32(6). Data based on NSAM.
(6) The Alan Guttmacher Institute, In Their Own Right, 2002, AGI: New York Data based on unpublished tabulations of the 1995 NSFG and NSAM.
(11) Kaiser Family Foundation and Seventeen, SexSmarts: Virginity and the First Time, 2003.”

(“U.S. Teen Sexual Activity,” Kaiser Family Foundation, January 2005)