Women who lost their virginity as young teenagers are more likely to divorce - especially if it was unwanted, according to new research. The University of Iowa study shows that 31 per cent of women who had sex for the first time as teens divorced within five years, and 47 per cent within 10 years. Among women who delayed sex until adulthood, 15 per cent divorced at five years, compared to 27 per cent at 10 years. The findings were published in the April issue of the Journal of Marriage and Family. Author Anthony Paik, associate professor of sociology in the university's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, examined the responses of 3,793 married and divorced women to the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. The study showed, however, that if a young woman made the choice to lose her virginity as a teenager, there was no direct link to a marital split later in life. If the sexual act took place before the age of 16 women were shown more likely to divorce, even if it was wanted. Thirty-one percent of women who lost their virginity during adolescence had premarital sex with multiple partners, compared to 24 per cent of those who waited. Twenty-nine percent experienced premarital conceptions, versus 15 percent who waited. One in four women who had sex as a teen had a baby before they were married, compared to only one in ten who waited until adulthood. Only one per cent of women surveyed said they chose to have sex at age 13 or younger, compared to five per cent at age 14 or 15, and 10 per cent at age 16 or 17. Forty two per cent reported that their first sexual intercourse before age 18 that was not completely wanted. Fifty eight per cent of the group waited until age 18 or older to have sex. Of those, 22 per cent said it was unwanted, compared to 21 per cent who said it was wanted. Researchers concluded sex itself may not increase the probability of divorce, while factors such as a higher number of sexual partners, pregnancy, or out-of-wedlock birth increased the risk for some. Source: Daily mail