CDC Report Reveals Shifting Trends in Teenage Sexual Activity and Contraception Usage

The CDC released a federal report on teenage sexual activity and contraception usage in the US. The 2015–2019 National Survey of Family Growth found a drop in teen sexual activity and a rise in contraception use.

Declining Rates of Teenage Sexual Activity and Changing Trends to Contraceptive Methods (Photo: Medpage Today)

Promising and Alarming Findings Unveiled in Federal Report

The CDC recently released a federal study that shows the number of sexually active teens is going down while the number of teens who use birth control is going up. Using data from the National Survey of Family Growth, this important study found that the number of sexually active young boys has gone down. Now, 38.7% of boys and 40.5% of girls aged 15 to 19 have had heterosexual vaginal sex before getting married.

Reports show that the number of sexually active boys has dropped significantly, from 44% in 2015 to 38.7% in recent years. On the other hand, girls’ sexual activity stayed mostly the same over time, though the general numbers dropped in 2019 compared to previous years.

The study’s results, which show that teens are using birth control more often, give experts hope. Almost four out of five teenage girls said they used birth control during their first sexual encounter with a straight person, and more than nine out of ten teenage boys said they did the same during their first sexual encounter with a female. This is a big jump from 2002 when just over 80% of young boys had this problem.

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The report says there is a lower chance of getting sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) and getting pregnant, but the study also showed some worrying numbers. For example, about 874,000 teenage girls said they didn’t use any contraception during their first sexual experience with a boy.

The study also talked about the reasons some teens have stopped having sexual relationships. Girls gave religious or moral views, not being able to find the right partner, and not wanting to get pregnant as some of the main reasons. Boys also said that they didn’t have sex because of moral or religious views and because they hadn’t found the right partner.

This report’s interviews with over 21,000 men and women, including over 3,800 teenage boys and girls, shed light on teenage sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy and STI risks. These developments illuminate the various dynamics affecting youth sexual and reproductive practices and give hope and concern.

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