Research: Virginity and Sexual Activity
Age of First Intercourse
The earlier a girl has her first sexual encounter, the more sexual partners she is likely to have, the more susceptible she is to contract a sexually transmitted disease, and the more likely she is to become a single mother. The numbers of American girls having intercourse for the first time by age 15 rose sharply between 1975 and 1988; the rate, which began to drop in 1995, is still startlingly high-over 20%.[1]

• In 1970, 4.6% of American girls had lost their virginity by age 15
• By 1975, the number had increased to 9.8%
• By 1980, 16.7% of girls had their first intercourse by age 15
• By 1988, the number peaked at just over 25%
• By 1995, the number had dropped slightly to just over 22%

[1]See Patrick Fagan, "The Need to Restore Faith and Family: Strengthening the Roots of American Freedom, "Source cited: National Survey of Family Growth, various years.