People shocked to learn what the CDC thinks the average number of sexual partners is

People have been left shocked by stats collected by the CDC showing the average number of sexual partners we have.

The topic surrounding sex is often an awkward one.

However, talking about your sex life on a survey may be a little easier, and in an anonymous poll you are less likely to exaggerate the truth.

While you may tell a few porkies about your sex life in front of your friends, studies reveal the actual amount of times we make love each year is less than you'd think.

For instance, a 2017 study that appeared in the Archives of Sexual Behavior found that the average adult has sex 54 times each year - about once a week.

And, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Survey of Family Growth, the number of sexual partners we have in our lifetime is lower than you might expect too.

One question asked in the survey of 'sexually experienced women and men aged 25-49 years of age' was how many opposite-sex partners they have had in their lifetime.

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The data found that between 2015 and 2019 the median for women was 4.3 sexual partners, with men at a slighter higher 6.3.

As for the stats as a whole, women who have one sexual partner amounted to 17.7 percent of those taking part in the survey, while men with one sexual partner sits at 11.2.

On the other end of the spectrum, 28.3 percent of men taking part in the survey said they have had 15+ sexual partners in their lifetime, while women were a lot lower at 12.9 percent.

The findings were shared on Reddit, with plenty of users raising an eyebrow at the findings.

Many were left shocked as they thought the number would be a lot higher, while others commented saying they had brought the number down.

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One person said: "I legitimately find either number hard to believe tbh. Is it like counting in dog years?"

A second added: "I am somewhat surprised the average is that low, but I have been reading about how much less sex people have now than they used to and what a wasteland dating in the 25-45 range is these days."

And a third remarked: "I didn't expect to come into this thread and see so many people calling the number low. My only sexual partner is my wife so I guess I'm the person bringing this down."

Meanwhile, a fourth added: "I've cited this statistic multiple times as evidence to the fact that people aren't having nearly as much casual sex as people think they are."