AGE OF SEXUAL DEBUT RELATED TO LIFE-STYLE AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH FACTORS IN A GROUP OF SWEDISH TEENAGE GIRLS

Aim. To compare life-style and reproductive health care factors in gir ls with a coitus debut <15 years of age and girls with a later debut. Methods: Girls resident in the municipality of Karlstad, Sweden, start ing their upper secondary school education were invited io attend the teenage clinic during two years (five visits). Gynecological examinati ons were performed and questions were asked about possible symptoms, s exual activity, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases. Resul ts: Ninety-eight girls accepted the invitation to participate and 88 g irls completed all visits (mean age on admission 16 years). Median age for coitarche was 16 years. A sexual debut <15 years was reported by 17 girls (19.3%), 54 (61.4%) had their debut greater than or equal to 15 years and 17 girls ( 19.3%) had nor had their sexual debut on compl etion of this study. Girls with an early sexual debut bad a greater nu mber of sexually transmitted diseases (p<0.05) and more cervical atypi as (p<0.01). and more often had a menarcheal age <13 years (p<0.05), > two brothers and/or sisters (p<0.01), were more often not living with their parents (p<0.01) and reported a greater number of life-time part ners (p<0.06) than the remainder. Girls with a sexual debut <15 years started drinking alcohol earlier than others (p<0.01), There was a gre ater proportion of smokers among girls with an early sex debut compare d to the remainder (p<0.05)). Conclusions. Early sexual debut is assoc iated with an earlier menarche and a more premature adult life-style a nd is an important indicator for continued risk behavior regarding rep roductive health.