Meta Analysis of Premarital Heterosexual Relationships among Young People in Iran over the Past 15 Years (2001-2015)

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of premarital sex with the opposite sex among young people in Iran using meta analysis¡ differentiated with gender¡ age group and place of residence according to previous studies over the past 15 years (2001- 2015). Among 147 published papers and reports¡ fifteen studies which met the criteria were selected. The data were analyzed using software of MEDCALC and CMA. The total sample size was 14989 adolescents and young people¡ non college students and college students¡ who were residents of Tehran¡ Ghazvin¡ Tabriz¡ Shahroud¡ Isfahan¡ Ghoochan¡ Karaj¡ and Lorestan with an age range of 16.6-23.5 years. The prevalence of premarital sex was estimated to be 22.5% in Tehran and 14.7% in other provinces. Without considering the weighted rate based on the proportion of the population of Tehran to the whole country¡ the mean would be 19.1% (CI: 14.4%-24.5%)¡ and with considering the weighted rate it would be 16%. This rate is remarkably greater among men than women (29.1% vs. 12.0%). A significant heterogeneity is observed by gender and geographical locations. Hence¡ about one sixth of the young populations in Iran are exposed to health risks (diseases) and social outcomes (delay at marriage) because of such relations which requires planning to encounter the conesquences of such phenomenon more than before.