Teen sex linked to abortions in later adult life
They are three times more likely to have an abortion, while six out of 10 young women who first had sex at the age of 16 have regrets and believe they should have waited longer.
The Irish Study of Sexual Health and Relationships by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency shows a strong link between first sex among adolescents and low use of contraception.
"According to research, the majority of young people wait until they are 17 or older to have sex for the first time," said the CPA's chairperson Katharine Bulbulia yesterday.
"However, for those who have had sex before 17, the research shows the impact of early first sex on the individual's later sexual health, and suggests that some young people . . . are having first sex at a time that is not right for them.
"We need to equip young people with the knowledge and skills they need to delay their first sexual experience."
The survey found that almost one third of men and a fifth of women lost their virginity before the age of 17. They were half as likely to use contraception as those who waited.
International studies have indicated that the use of contraception during first sex has a strong influence on subsequent behaviour, the CPA said.
This could explain why women who lost their virginity before 17 were 70pc more likely to experience a crisis pregnancy than those who waited longer.
Six out of 10 women who had sex before they were 16 said they regretted it, compared to one in three men.
The survey, of more than 7,400 men and women, found early school leavers were more likely to lose their virginity as young teenagers than those who stay in education.
Men with secondary-level qualifications only are three times more likely than those with a third-level qualification to have lost their virginity before 17.
Alcohol
But the study also found there were no differences in the use of alcohol or drugs between those who had sex before 17 and those who waited.
In both categories, for people under 30, 38pc of men and around 20pc of women said they were under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they lost their virginity.
The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is, in consultation with a range of other organisations and young people, currently planning a campaign to encourage adolescents to delay first sex. It is due to begin later this year.
- Jason O'Brien
