Sexual experience and contraceptive use among female teens - United States, 1995, 2002, and 2006-2010.

The 2010 U.S. teen birth rate of 34.3 births per 1,000 females reflected a 44% decline from 1990. Despite this trend, U.S. teen birth rates remain higher than rates in other developed countries; approximately 368,000 births occurred among teens aged 15-19 years in 2010, and marked racial/ethnic disparities persist. To describe trends in sexual experience and use of contraceptive methods among females aged 15-19 years, CDC analyzed data from the National Survey of Family Growth collected for 1995, 2002, and 2006-2010. During 2006-2010, 57% of females aged 15-19 years had never had sex (defined as vaginal intercourse), an increase from 49% in 1995. Younger teens (aged 15-17 years) were more likely not to have had sex (73%) than older teens (36%); the proportion of teens who had never had sex did not differ by race/ethnicity. Approximately 60% of sexually experienced teens reported current use of highly effective contraceptive methods (e.g., intrauterine device [IUD] or hormonal methods), an increase from 47% in 1995. However, use of highly effective methods varied by race/ethnicity, with higher rates observed for non-Hispanic whites (66%) than non-Hispanic black (46%) and Hispanic teens (54%). Addressing the complex issue of teen childbearing requires a comprehensive approach to sexual and reproductive health that includes continued promotion of delayed sexual debut and increased use of highly effective contraception among sexually experienced teens.