Abstract

PIP: A review of the literature from the United Kingdom reveals a progressive reduction in recent decades in the age at first intercourse, an increase in the prevalence of premarital sex to the point of near universality, and a convergence of the sexual behavior of males and females. Over the past 30 years, the median age at first intercourse in the UK has dropped from 16 to 14 years for females and from 15 to 13 years for males. Fewer than 1% of women 16-24 years of age had their first sexual experience within marriage compared with 40% of women 45-59 years old. These trends reflect biologic factors, including earlier age at menarche, and social factors such as liberalization of norms governing sex behavior and peer pressure. Age at first intercourse increases with educational level and social class status. Curiosity is the factor most commonly cited by males as motivating first intercourse, while females identify romantic reasons. Nearly half of young women and over half of young men who have intercourse before the age of 16 years have unprotected sex. Contraceptive use is more likely with casual than steady sex partners. The condom is the most widely used contraceptive method in the early stages of sexual experience, and its use is increasing as a result of awareness of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. More than two-thirds of young people consider themselves inadequately prepared at first intercourse in terms of information on sexual matters. Although the majority gain their information about sexuality from friends, schools are cited as a preferred source. The importance of sex education is confirmed by the positive association of predominantly school-based information and contraceptive use at first intercourse. There is no evidence that sex education hastens the onset of sexual activity.