Fewer teens in Canada are sexually active than a decade ago. There's even more good news though as those who have teenage sex also use a condom when they do.
According to data released by
Statistics Canada on Wednesday 43% of teens aged from 15 to 19 have sex at least once in 2005. That compares to 47% of teens in 1996-1997 having sex.
It's believed that more teenage girls are choosing to wait before becoming sexually active is the reason for decreasing numbers. According to the 1996-1997 survey 51 percent of the girls interviewed had experienced sex at least once. That number dropped to 43% in 2005.
The number of teenage boys having sex between 15 and 19 remained the same at 43 percent in both surveys.
The majority of sexually active teenagers of both genders said that they used condoms the last time that they have sexual intercourse in the 2005 survey.
Used condom during last sexual experience-2005
Girls: 70%
Boys: 80%
During the 1996-1997 survey questions on condom use were not asked.
