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. 2025 May 19;6(1):586–598. doi: 10.1089/whr.2025.0015

Table 2.

Sexual and Reproductive Health Characteristics for a Sample of Young Adult U.S. Females, Total Sample and by Timing of Well-Woman Exam

  Total sample
n = 1000
Never
n = 237
Delayed
n = 297
On-time
n = 462
 
Variable n (%) n (%) n (%) n (%) p
Sexual orientation (n = 996)          
 Heterosexual 722 (72.20) 154 (64.98) 201 (67.68) 364 (78.79) <0.001
 Bisexual 166 (16.60) 38 (16.03) 56 (18.86) 71 (15.37)  
 Gay/lesbian 42 (4.20) 13 (5.49) 17 (5.72) 12 (2.60)  
 Something else 70 (7.0) 32 (13.50) 23 (7.74) 15 (3.25)  
Age at first menstrual period (n = 994)          
 10 years old or younger 155 (15.53) 29 (12.24) 43 (14.58) 83 (17.97) 0.244
 11 years old 173 (17.33) 42 (17.72) 53 (17.97) 75 (16.23)  
 12 years old 297 (29.76) 83 (35.02) 89 (30.17) 125 (27.06)  
 13 years old 200 (20.04) 51 (21.52) 57 (19.32) 92 (19.91)  
 14 years old or older 173 (17.33) 32 (13.50) 53 (17.97) 87 (18.83)  
Have you had at least one period in the last 6 months? (n = 994)          
 Yes 898 (89.98) 222 (94.07) 275 (92.59) 397 (86.12) <0.001
 No 100 (10.02) 14 (5.93) 22 (7.41) 64 (13.88)  
Would you consider your menstrual cycle length relatively normal? (n = 994)          
 Yes 730 (73.15) 172 (72.88) 217 (73.06) 338 (73.32) 0.992
 No 268 (26.85) 64 (27.12) 80 (26.94) 123 (26.68)  
Would you consider your bleeding length relatively normal? (n = 994)          
 Yes 764 (76.55) 188 (79.66) 224 (75.42) 350 (75.92) 0.453
 No 234 (23.45) 48 (20.34) 73 (24.58) 111 (24.08)  
Ever had a sexual experience with another person (n = 996)          
 Yes 852 (85.20) 163 (68.78) 258 (86.87) 427 (92.42) <0.001
 No 148 (14.80) 74 (31.22) 39 (13.13) 35 (7.58)  
Age at first sexual experience with another person (n = 848)          
 <12 years 40 (4.69) 8 (4.91) 21 (8.14) 11 (2.58) 0.085
 12–13 years 66 (7.75) 15 (9.20) 16 (6.20) 34 (7.96)  
 14–15 years 205 (24.06) 43 (26.38) 56 (21.71) 106 (24.82)  
 16–17 years 262 (30.75) 49 (30.06) 81 (31.40) 129 (30.21)  
 18+ years 279 (32.75) 48 (29.45) 84 (32.56) 147 (34.43)  
Number of sexual partners in the past 12 months (n = 847)          
 0 sexual partner 56 (6.58) 18 (11.04) 19 (7.36) 19 (4.46) 0.042
 1 sexual partner 616 (72.39) 104 (63.80) 185 (71.71) 325 (76.29)  
 2 sexual partners 87 (10.22) 22 (13.50) 26 (10.08) 39 (9.15)  
 3 or more 92 (10.81) 19 (11.66) 28 (10.85) 43 (10.09)  
Currently using contraception (n = 993)          
 Yes 493 (49.45) 80 (33.89) 145 (46.77) 267 (59.73) <0.001
 No 504 (50.55) 156 (66.10) 165 (55.74) 180 (39.05)  
Ever pregnant (n = 800)    
 Yes 370 (44.15) 27 (16.77) 111 (44.40) 228 (53.90) <0.001
 No 468 (55.85) 134 (83.23) 139 (55.60) 195 (46.10)