Key Statistics from the National Survey of Family Growth - S Listing
- Sexual orientation and attraction
- Smoking during pregnancy – See Cigarette smoking during pregnancy
- STD/HIV risk
- STD/HIV testing – See Family planning HIV testing
- STD treatment – See STD/HIV risk
- Sterilization (female)
- Sterilization (male) – See Vasectomy
Sexual activity between opposite-sex partners
Vaginal (sexual) intercourse
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women 15-49 | Men 15-49 | |
| Mean age at first vaginal intercourse | 17.6 years (0.12) | 17.2 years (0.13) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Oral sex between women and men
Percentage of women and men who have ever had oral sex with an opposite-sex partner:
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |
| All aged 15-49 | 81.5% (1.12) | 82.1% (0.78) |
| Teens 15-19 | 46.9% (3.33) | 43.1% (2.54) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Anal sex between women and men
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |
| Percentage of men and women 15-49 years of age who have ever had anal sex with an opposite-sex partner | 32.6% (1.21) | 38.5% (1.34) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sexual activity between same-sex partners
Sexual activity between women
| 2015-2017 | |
|---|---|
| Percentage of women 18-49 years of age who have ever had any sexual activity with another female partner |
17.9% (0.90) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sexual activity between men
Percentage of men 18-49 who had any sexual activity with another man:
| 2015-2017 | |
|---|---|
| During his lifetime | |
| During the last 12 months |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sexual orientation and attraction
Sexual orientation for women 18-49 years of age
| NSFG version | NHIS version | |
|---|---|---|
| Heterosexual or straight | 91.4% (0.76) | 88.9% (0.93) |
| Homosexual or gay (or lesbian) | 3.1% (0.66) | 1.9% (0.44) |
| Bisexual | 5.4% (0.65) | 6.1% (0.57) |
| Something else | Option not offered | 3.1% (0.52) |
Note: The 2015-2017 NSFG included two versions of the question on sexual orientation, randomly assigned each to half of the sample. One is the NSFG version as used since 2008, and the other is the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as used since 2013. Please see Webdoc online codebook for the exact wording of response categories for the two questions.
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sexual orientation for men 18-49 years of age
| NSFG version | NHIS version | |
|---|---|---|
| Heterosexual or straight | 95.8% (0.57) | 92.3% (0.87) |
| Homosexual or gay (or lesbian) | 2.1% (0.50) | 3.3% (0.63) |
| Bisexual | 2.0% (0.31) | 2.0% (0.40) |
| Something else | Option not offered | 2.3% (0.46) |
Note: The 2015-2017 NSFG included two versions of the question on sexual orientation, randomly assigned each to half of the sample. One is the NSFG version as used since 2008, and the other is the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) as used since 2013. Please see Webdoc online codebook for the exact wording of response categories for the two questions.
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sexual attraction for women and men 18-49 years of age
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |
| Only opposite sex | 79.5% (1.03) | 91.9% (0.80) |
| Mostly opposite sex | 13.1% (0.77) | 3.4% (0.41) |
| Equally to both | 3.4% (0.33) | 1.1% (0.17) |
| Mostly same sex | 1.4% (0.27) | 1.2% (0.37) |
| Only same sex | 1.4% (0.27) | 1.8% (0.27) |
| Not sure | 1.5% (0.29) | 1.8% (0.27) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
STD/HIV risk
Percentage of women and men 15-49 years of age who engaged in the specified STD/HIV risk-related behavior in the last 12 months:
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Women | Men | |
| Treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) | 3.7% (0.38) | 2.3% (0.31) |
| Five or more opposite-sex partners | 2.3% (0.29) | 2.9% (0.30) |
| Sex in exchange for money or drugs | 0.7% (0.13) | 1.8% (0.37) |
| Sex with an HIV-positive partner | 0.1% (0.05) | 0.2% (0.08) |
| Drug use: Illicit drug injection or crack cocaine use | 0.7% (0.14) | 1.8% (0.34) |
| Sexual activity between men (asked of men only) | NA | 3.5% (0.54) |
| Male partners who have sex with other men (asked of women only) | 1.6% (0.26) | NA |
| Any HIV risk-related behavior (as specified above) | 8.0% (0.57) | 10.3% (0.73) |
Note: Each behavior may increase an individual’s risk of HIV and other STDs; respondents could report more than one of these behaviors. “NA” indicates item is not applicable.
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Sterilization (female)
Percentage ever having a female sterilization operation, by type of operation
| 2015-2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of women who have ever had: | Women aged 15-49 | Women aged 40-49 |
| Tubal sterilization | 15.8% (1.1) | 31.6% (2.43) |
| Hysterectomy | 5.3% (0.61) | 14.2% (1.67) |
| Other sterilizing operations | 2.9% (0.49) | 7.9% (1.31) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Main reason for operation
Among women 15-49 years of age who had a tubal sterilization within the past 5 years, percent distribution by main reason for the tubal sterilization:
| 2015-2017 | |
|---|---|
| She had all the children she wanted | 67.1% (4.93) |
| Her husband or partner had all the children he wanted | 3.4% (1.30) |
| Medical reasons for the tubal sterilization | 23.0% (4.42) |
| Problems with other methods of birth control | 2.1% (0.97) |
| Other reasons | 4.3% (1.98) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS
Among women 15-49 years of age who had a hysterectomy within the past 5 years, percent distribution by main reason for the hysterectomy:
| 2015-2017 | |
|---|---|
| She had all the children she wanted | 2.6% (2.18) |
| Medical reasons for the hysterectomy | 95.8% (2.66) |
| Other reasons | 1.6% (1.54) |
Source: Special tabulation by NCHS