How old were you when you first had sex?
And if you have kids that age, have you taken the time to have THAT conversation with them, to ensure that your kids don’t make the same mistake (or have the same fun) that you had when you were their age?
Chances are, you haven’t. Web Watch doesn’t know many parents who have had that conversation at all.
But it may end up that today’s parents shouldn’t be that discouraged about their kids bumping uglies in an unresponsible manner, according to a recent report from the CDC.
The CDC IS REPORTING THAT teenage girls (age 15-19) are waiting longer to have sex than the CDC found in early, similar surveys.
For purposes of the survey, “sex” is defined as “vaginal intercourse”.
- Overall teenage birth rate is down from 1990 — in 2010, the rate was 34.3 births per 1000 teenagers – representing a 44% decline.
- Between 2006-2010, 57% of those surveyed had not had sex.
- Younger teens in the same timeframe were more likely to not have had sex compared to older teens
But parents should also not be as concerned about their teenage daughters as our parents may have been. Today’s teenager is practicing more “safe sex” than before, with those teens who are having sex more often are using what the CDC calls “highly effective contraceptives” such as IUDs, The Pill, a patch, ring, or injectable contraceptive…. all with or without condoms. (For those of you wondering, the CDC also listed what they consider less effective birth control methods: withdrawal, periodic abstinence, the rhythm method, emergency contraception, diaphragm, female condom, foam, jelly, cervical cap, sponge, or suppository.)
In summary, the US teen birth rate is the lowest its been in 70 years, due to a delay in having sex until they’re older coupled with more use of effective birth control for those who are having sex.