More Teens Lose Virginity in June, December By Keith Mulvihill
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Teens are much more likely to lose their virginity during the months of June and December than at any other time of the year, a new study has found.
The findings suggest that parents and sex education professionals should involve teens in discussions about sex just prior to the onset of summer and again before the winter holiday season, according to lead author Dr. Martin L. Levin of Mississippi State University.
Upwards of 19,000 adolescents in grades 7 through 12 participated in a survey that identified the month that they had sexual intercourse for the first time and whether or not the act was with a romantic partner or a casual fling. The findings are published in the November issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family.
In general, most teens reported that if they had lost their virginity, they had done so in June. The next most popular month was December.
The analysis confirms the "summer vacation" theory for adolescent females and is now extended to adolescent males, according to the report. The seasonal effect associated with losing one's virginity was stronger in white adolescents than non-whites.
Levin notes that in June, school is out and teens have more time on their hands. They are also more likely to be attending sexually charged events like the high school prom or a summertime party.
Levin and colleagues dubbed the December peak in coital activity "the holiday season effect,"
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