At what age should the first intercourse be?

According to a recent survey of people's sexual behavior and lifestyle in the UK, many young people feel that their first sexual encounter was 'not at the right time'.

A recent survey of British sexuality revealed that the main regret of young people is having first sex too early.

More than a third of women and more than a quarter of men of teenagers and young adults surveyed felt that the first time they had sex was 'not at the right time'.

By law, a person must be at least 16 years old to consent to sex in the UK.

A review of the results of a recent survey on the sexual behavior and lifestyle of people in the UK suggests that many are not ready to have sex at that age.

This survey known as 'Natsal Survey' is conducted every decade.

Researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine used data from 3,000 young people who took part in the survey between 2010 and 2012.

Survey results

About 40% of women and 26% of men felt that their first intercourse was 'not at the right time', according to the answers given by the participants.

Most of them feel that they should have waited longer before giving up their virginity.

However, a small number of respondents favored having first intercourse earlier.

Most have their first taste of sex before they turn 18 - with almost half having sex in their late sixteenth year.

A third had their first time before they turned 16.

Willingness and preparation

The survey also tried to get an idea of the readiness for intercourse.

That is, an attempt is made to ascertain whether a person is able to consciously and voluntarily agree to a rational decision to have sexual intercourse for the first time.

For example, factors such as not being under the influence of drugs at the time of giving consent or not being pressured by partners or friends to give consent have been looked at.

About half of the women and about 40% of the men who took part in the survey were ineffective in this regard.

1 in 5 women and 4 in 10 men feel their partner was not equally interested on first date. That is, they think that their partners consented to the first intercourse under a lot of pressure.

Kaye Willings, founder of the 'Natsal Survey', believes that whether a person is ready for sex should not be determined by age.

"Every young person is different - some are ready to have sex at 15, and many 18-year-olds may not be ready," said Mr. Willings.

Co-researcher Melissa Palmer said, "Our findings support the hypothesis that young women are under more pressure than older men to consent to first sex."

He said that the curriculum of schools should be designed to ensure that young people can have positive and safe sex by discussing it with themselves in the first sex.

When is the right time?

If you think you might be having sex, ask yourself these questions first.

Am I going to do the right thing?

Do I love my partner?

Does my partner love me equally?

Have I discussed protection with my partner to prevent sexually transmitted diseases? Was the discussion appropriate?

Can I say 'no' at any time if I suddenly change my mind about sex? Will both my partner and I be satisfied with that decision?

If the answer to all these questions is yes, then maybe you are ready to have sex. But if the answer to any of the following questions is yes, you may not be ready:

Am I feeling any pressure from my partner or friends?

Can I have any kind of regret after sex?

Am I thinking about having sex to match my friends?

Am I interested in sex to maintain a relationship with my partner?