In many cases, however, information on young men is not readily available. Still, less than half of adolescents between the ages of 16 and 20 attend school. In nine out of 11 countries surveyed, at least one-third of young women married before age 18 and at least half had sex before age 18. In relationships where payment is received for sex, adolescents may be unable to negotiate condom use or the fidelity of their partners, leaving them at greater risk of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy. In many of these countries, however, HIV prevalence levels are high among young people.
Young men are more likely to report condom use than young women.
One of the reasons for higher infection levels among young women is that their partners are likely to be older, more sexually experienced men rather than men their own age. In eight out of 11 countries, teenage birth rates show some sign of decline. Levels of unintended pregnancies among teenagers, however, are high. More than one-fifth of recent births were reported by young women as unintended. Modern contraceptive use among adolescents is low.