Early age at first intercourse and subsequent gaps in contraceptive use

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Adolescent Health
• Contraception

Background:

• Sexual debut before age 15 is linked to adolescent sexual risk behaviors.
• Limited research exists on the long-term effects of early sexual debut beyond adolescence.
• This study investigates the association between age at first intercourse and subsequent contraceptive gaps.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between age at first intercourse and contraceptive use patterns in adulthood.
• To identify potential disparities in contraceptive use based on age at sexual debut.
• To inform public health interventions for adolescent sexual health.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of data from 3538 sexually active, fertile women from the 2006-2008 National Survey of Family Growth.
• Classification of women into consistent contraceptive users and inconsistent/nonusers.
• Categorization of age at first intercourse as <15, 15-17, and ≥18 years based on self-report.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three percent of participants reported contraceptive use gaps in the year prior to the interview.
• Women who first had intercourse before age 15 were nearly twice as likely to report contraceptive gaps compared to those who debuted at age 18 or older (AOR: 1.93; 95% CI: 1.23-3.00).
• Early sexual debut is a significant predictor of inconsistent contraceptive use later in life.

Conclusions:

• Age at first intercourse is significantly associated with inconsistent or nonuse of contraceptives in later life.
• Primary prevention strategies should focus on empowering girls with information for informed decisions about sexual debut.
• Personalized contraceptive counseling is effective and should be prioritized for women with early sexual debut or other risk factors for inconsistent use.