Table 6.6 Median Age at First Sexual Intercourse Among Women Age 25-49, by Current Age
          and Background Characteristics, Philippines 2003
          (Median age at first intercourse)

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                                                       Age                      Women
Background                          ---------------------------------------       age
characteristic                      25-29    30-34    35-39   40-44   45-49     25-49
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Residence
  Urban                              22.9     23.3     23.0    22.2    22.5      22.8
  Rural                              21.1     20.6     20.9    20.7    20.7      20.8

Region
 National Capital Region             23.0     24.5     24.4    22.8    22.8      23.5
 Cordillera Admininistrative
   Region                            21.2     21.9     22.3    20.8    22.7      21.6
 I - Ilocos Region                   22.7     20.7     22.4    22.3    22.7      22.2
 II - Cagayan Valley                 21.2     20.9     21.3    21.4    20.6      21.1
 III - Central Luzon                 22.5     22.6     22.2    21.6    21.9      22.2
 IVA - Calabarzon                    23.2     22.8     23.2    21.5    22.5      22.6
 IVB - Mimaropa                      20.9     21.7     20.0    21.9    21.3      21.2
 V - Bicol Region                    22.3     20.7     20.6    21.0    20.6      21.0
 VI - Western Visayas                21.2     21.7     22.0    20.4    21.9      21.5
 VII - Central Visayas               21.9     21.0     21.5    21.9    21.2      21.5
 VIII - Eastern Visayas              21.7     20.5     20.4    20.4    20.4      20.7
 IX - Zamboanga Peninsula            21.3     20.5     21.8    20.2    21.4      21.0
 X - Northern Mindanao               22.5     21.1     21.0    22.1    21.5      21.6
 XI - Davao Peninsula                21.3     21.9     21.3    20.7    20.8      21.2
 XII - SOCCSKSARGEN                  21.0     20.8     21.7    20.7    19.9      21.0
 Caraga                              20.7     20.9     21.2    21.4    19.9      20.7
 ARMM                                20.3     19.6     20.2    18.8    20.5      20.0

Education
  No education                        18.5     18.1     17.7    18.4    18.0      18.1
  Elementary                          19.1     19.0     19.6    19.4    19.7      19.4
  High school                         21.1     21.4     21.1    20.7    21.6      21.1
  College or higher                   24.7     25.0     25.5    25.2    25.1         a

Wealth index quintile
  Lowest                              19.4     19.3     19.9    19.5    19.9      19.5
  Second                              20.8     20.2     20.7    20.6    20.9      20.6
  Middle                              21.8     22.0     21.3    20.9    20.9      21.5
  Fourth                              23.8     23.4     22.5    21.7    21.8      22.8
  Highest                             24.7     24.7     25.1    24.3    23.7      24.5

Total                                 22.1     22.0     22.0    21.5    21.7      21.9

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Note:    a = Omitted because less than 50 percent of the women had intercourse for the first time before
         reaching the beginning of the age group

Source:  2003 National Demographic and Health Survey
         National Statistics Office & Department of Health

Page last updated:  September 11, 2006
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