Sexual behaviour of young people.

Abstract

20% of the world's population is aged 10-19 years. Annually, almost 15 million young women under age 20 become mothers. However, surveys in developing countries show that 20-60% of the pregnancies and births to women under age 20 are mistimed or unwanted. While later marriage age in many places has provoked a decline in birth rates among young women, levels of sexual relations before marriage are increasing. Such sexual behavior opens sexually active young women to the risks of unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Millions of young people become infected with STDs annually. Among all age groups in the US, young women aged 15-19 have the highest incidence of gonorrhea among females and young men aged 15-19 have the second highest incidence among males. At least half of all people infected with HIV are under age 25. The UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Program of Research, Development, and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) completed 9 studies in 1996 on adolescent reproductive health. 14 studies were completed before 1996, and 18 are still underway.