Women, Marriage and Virginity: Cohort Trends in Who Did and Did Not Delay Sex until Marriage

Lawrence L. Wu, New York University (NYU)
Steven P. Martin, New York University (NYU)

We use data from Cycles 3-7 of the National Survey of Family Growth to analyze cohort trends in who did and did not delay sexual activity until first marriage. Prior research has documented that the vast majority of women are now sexually active prior to marriage. This represents a marked shift from the behaviors of older cohorts of women, many of whom delayed sex until first marriage, yet we know surprisingly little about trends in delaying sex until marriage. We address the following: (1) For successive birth cohorts of women, what proportion report delaying sex until marriage? (2) Were trends gradual or abrupt? (3) Among those who married but who did not delay sex until marriage, what were trends in the duration between sexual onset and first marriage? (4) What were trends in the social and demographic composition of those who did and did not delay sex until marriage?