Women who first had sex before the age of 16 are more likely to get
divorced than those who delay first sex, according to a new study by the
University of Iowa.
The study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, surveyed
the responses of 3,793 women and found that 31 per cent who lost their
virginity as teens divorced within five years, and 47 per cent divorced
within 10 years.
By comparison, the divorce rate for women who had
waited to have sex was only 15 per cent at the five year mark, and 27
per cent after 10 years.
If the young woman chose to lose her virginity as a teen, the results
were more nuanced.
When the first intercourse took place early in
adolescence - before the age of 16 - the women were more likely to
divorce, even if that first sexual experience was wanted.
Just one per cent chose to have sex at age 13 or younger, five per cent at age 14 or 15, and 10 per cent at age 16 or 17.
If the young woman waited until age 16 or 17 and the first sex was
wanted, there was no direct link to dissolution down the road, according
to the study.
However other factors related to sexuality - such as a
higher number of sexual partners, pregnancy, or out-of-wedlock birth -
increased the risk for some respondents.
Thirty-one per cent of women
who experienced adolescent sexual debut had premarital sex with multiple
partners, compared to 24 per cent of those who waited.
Twenty-nine per cent experienced premarital conceptions, versus 15
per cent who waited.
And, one in four women who had sex during their
teenage years had a baby before they were married, compared to only one
in ten who waited.
Only a small percentage of women who had sex before
age 18 said it was completely wanted.
Another 42 per cent reported first sexual intercourse before age 18
that was not completely wanted, while the remaining portion of the
sample waited until age 18 or older to have sex (wanted, 22 per cent;
unwanted, 21 per cent).
The study's author, Anthony Paik, suggested that one explanation for
his findings might be that “[i]f the sex was not completely wanted or
occurred in a traumatic context, it's easy to imagine how that could
have a negative impact on how women might feel about relationships, or
on relationship skills. The experience could point people on a path
toward less stable relationships."
The study did not examine the divorce rates for men who lost their
virginity in their teens, but Paik said he believed it would make an
interesting follow up.