Agence France Presse (05.03.12) - Friday, May 04, 2012

The proportion of US female teens who have not had sex has grown since 1995, according to a new CDC report. In addition, more young women who are sexually active are using highly effective contraceptive methods.

During 2006-10, 57 percent of females ages 15-19 had never had vaginal intercourse, up from 49 percent in 1995, data from the National Survey of Family Growth show. In addition, "The proportion of female teens who never have had sex is now comparable across racial/ethnic groups," noted the report.

Nearly 60 percent of sexually active young women reported using a highly effective contraceptive method in 2006-10, an increase from 47 percent in 1995. However, use differed by race/ethnicity, with higher rates reported by whites (66 percent) than Hispanics (54 percent) and blacks (46 percent).

Condoms, considered moderately effective contraception when used alone, were second in popularity, but their use has steadily trended down since 1995. In 2006-10, "only about half (49 percent) of female teens who used a condom for contraception reported consistent use in the past month," CDC said.

Though the US teen birth rate has fallen since 1990, it remains higher than in other developed countries. To reduce teen pregnancy further, communities can provide sex education and connect teens to reproductive health services, CDC said.

The study, "Sexual Experience and Contraceptive Use Among Female Teens - United States, 1995, 2002, and 2006-2010," was published in CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2012;61(17):297-301).