Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Teen Sex, Pregnancy Continue Gradual Decades-Long Decline
The Washington Post: Not Quite Half Of American Teens Have Had Sex By 18. That’s Actually Low.
American teens may be becoming more conservative about sex. According to a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report reflecting data from 2011 to 2015, about 42 percent of girls and about 44 percent of boys ages 15-19 reported that they'd had sex. Both numbers continue a gradual decades-long decline: In 1988, 51 percent of girls and 60 percent of boys in the same age group answered affirmatively on the question of sexual activity. (Cha, 6/22)
Stat: More Teens Are Using Contraception The First Time They Have Sex
Teen abstinence isn’t becoming any more popular, but more teens are using contraception the first time they have sex, according to a new report published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report found that 42 percent of teen girls and 44 percent of teen boys have had sex. Those numbers have stayed steady over the past 15 years. But as the teen birth rate continues to tumble, the way teens choose to use contraception has changed. (Thielking, 6/22)
