* Based on responses by females to the question, "At any time in your life have you ever had sexual intercourse with a man, that is, made love, had sex, or gone all the way?" and by males to the question, "Have you ever had sexual intercourse with a female (sometimes this is called making love, having sex, or going all the way)?"
† 95% confidence interval.
From 1988 to 2006--2008, the percentage of never-married teenage females (ages 15--19 years) who ever had sexual intercourse declined from 51% to 42%, and the percentage for never-married teenage males declined from 60% to 43%. In 1988, teenage males were more likely than teenage females to have ever have had sexual intercourse, but by 2006--2008, the percentages were equivalent.
Source: Abma JC, Martinez GM, Copen CE. Teenagers in the United States: sexual activity, contraceptive use, and childbearing, National Survey of Family Growth, 2006--2008. Vital Health Stat 2010; 23(30). Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_030.pdf.
Alternate Text: The figure above shows never-married females and males aged 15-19 years who have ever had sexual intercourse in the United States from 1988-2008. From 1988 to 2006-2008, the percentage of never-married teenage females (ages 15-19 years) who ever had sexual intercourse declined from 51% to 42%, and the percentage for never-married teenage males declined from 60% to 43%. In 1988, teenage males were more likely than teenage females to have ever have had sexual intercourse, but by 2006-2008, the percentages were equivalent.
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