The first two published reports from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, released by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, focus on teenage sexual activity and contraceptive use, and use of contraception and family planning services in the United States. Press Release - http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r041210.htm

Teenagers in the United States: Sexual Activity, Contraceptive Use, and Childbearing, 2002

This report presents national estimates of sexual activity, contraceptive use, and births among males and females 15–19 years of age in the United States in 2002 from the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG). Data are also presented from the 1988 and 1995 NSFGs, and from the 1988 and 1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males.

In 2002, about 47 percent of female teenagers (4.6 million), and about 46 percent of male teenagers (4.7 million) had had sexual intercourse at least once.
Teenagers showed increases in the use of contraceptives. About 3 out of 4 teens used a method of contraception at their first intercourse.
About 91 percent of males and 83 percent of females used a method at their last (most recent) sex.
Fact Sheet - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_024FactSheet.pdf
Report (550 KB) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_23/sr23_024.pdf

Use of Contraception and Use of Family Planning Services in the United States, 1982-2002
This report presents national estimates of contraceptive use and method choice based on the 1982, 1995, and 2002 National Surveys of Family Growth. It also presents data on where women obtained family planning and medical services, and some of the services that they received.

The leading method of contraception in the United States in 2002 was the oral contraceptive pill, used by 11.6 million women; the second leading method was female sterilization, used by 10.3 million women. The condom was the third-leading method, used by about 9 million women and their partners.
The condom is the leading method at first intercourse; the pill is the leading method among women under 30; and female sterilization is the leading method among women 35 and older.
Nearly all women of reproductive age have used contraception: 98 percent of all women who had ever had intercourse had used at least one contraceptive method. About 82 percent of women have used the oral contraceptive pill at some time in their lives; about 90 percent have had a partner use the male condom.
Fact Sheet - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad350FactSheet.pdf
Report (1.5 MB) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad350.pdf

The National Survey of Family Growth is conducted periodically by CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics to collect data on factors which influence the American family including data on marriage, divorce, and cohabitation; contraception; infertility; pregnancy outcomes and births. Data are collected in household interviews with a nationally representative sample of women (since 1982) and men (beginning in 2002) ages 15-44.

For more information about the National Survey of Family Growth, visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nsfg/nsfgcycle6.htm.