Abstract

PIP: In Shanghai, China, the Institute of Family Planning surveyed 2409 unmarried women who had a premarital medical examination during September-October 1988 to determine the prevalence of premarital sexual experience (PSE). It also compared data on 394 women who had PSE with data on 126 women who had not had PSE to learn PSE determinants. Overall 73.1% of the women surveyed had had PSE (80.7% in rural suburbs vs. 64.3% in urban areas; p .01). Youngest age at 1st intercourse was 16 in urban areas and 17 in rural suburbs, yet rural suburban women tended to be younger at 1st intercourse than urban women (20.5 years vs. 22.5 years; p .01). Age at 1st intercourse increased with education level (20.6 years for no junior high school vs. 23.2 for college graduates; p .01). The period between 1st date and 1st intercourse was 17.5 months. This period was shorter in rural suburbs than in urban areas (16.4 months vs. 20.4 months; p .01) and for less educated women than for most educated women (15 months vs. 25 months; p .01). Mean number of intercourse acts in the month before the examination was 1.4. 50.3% had sexual intercourse less than once during that month. The multivariate logistic regression analysis found that age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.82), educational level (OR = 0.52), partner's occupation (OR = 0.69, i.e., PSE less likely if partners have high ranking occupation), family relationships (OR - 1.81, i.e., PSE lower if relationships were harmonious), number of years dating (OR = 1.2), means of acquaintance (OR = 0.57 i.e., met partner through others decreased the likelihood of PSE), loneliness before dating (OR = 2.11), and conservative attitudes towards sex (OR = 2.98) had a significant effect on having PSE (p .01). Based on these findings, the Institute recommends that sex education, disseminated through the media, schools, work units, and families, should focus on a responsible attitude towards sexual intercourse, reproduction, consequences of premarital pregnancy, and family planning.