title: Adolescent sexual behavior.
abstract: Human sexuality is a lifelong process with biologic, psychosocial, and moral consequences. During adolescence, coping with sexual feelings and controlling sexual drive become urgent tasks that are made more difficult by today's society. Recent studies document a dramatic increase in the frequency of sexual activity among teenagers as well as a decrease in the age at which sexual activity begins. The pregnancy rate has increased dramatically in this age-group because of the general lack of willpower and moral strength of young people; lack of adult role models; sexual exploitation of the young, particularly by mass media and industries; and aversion of teenagers to contraception. Births to teenagers have actually decreased slightly, however, because of the accessibility of abortion.
mesh_terms: D000029:Abortion, Legal; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D010379:Peer Group; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology