Most Swedes sober when losing their virginity: study

The findings come from a comprehensive study on the sexual habits of Swedes aged 15 to 29 and carried out by researchers at the University of Gothenburg.

According to the study, 25 percent of young Swedes were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs when they lost their virginity, or during their most recent sexual encounter.

“They haven’t taken alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs. We also see that they describe their debut in positive words. They want to do it again,” Jonna Abelsson, one of the researchers behind the report, told the TT news agency.

She added that men are somewhat more positive about their first sexual experience than women.

Abelsson said she wasn’t necessarily surprised that young Swedes abstained from alcohol when they decide to have sex.

“There may be this view that that is the case, but our findings say something else,” she said.

“It’s also the case that the majority of respondents say they were together with a steady partner the last time they had sex. That can also explain why they were sober.”

The study did find, however, that respondents younger than 20-years-old were more likely to be drunk when having sex than those who are over 25 years of age.

The survey, known as the UngKAB09 study, also found that Swedes “make their sexual debut” at 16, but respondents were able to define themselves what constituted the start of their sex lives.

Women had a slightly earlier sexual debut than men, while nearly one of five respondents reported that their debut came before their 15th birthday.

The study, which is the largest of its kind in Sweden to date, also showed that Swedish youngsters only used a condom during sexual intercourse three times out of ten.