Ngueta G, et al. - Researchers evaluated if the early initiation of sexual activity is related to hypertension in US adults, and whether the timing of first menstruation is meaningful with respect to this association. They used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001-2016) to identify study participants (n=39,788). They examined the association of age at occurrence of first sexual intercourse (FSI) and hypertension (systolic blood pressure of ≥ 130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure of ≥ 80 mmHg). Effect modification by ethnicity was also analyzed. The inverse association of age at FSI with hypertension was significantly modified by ethnicity. Findings suggested an association of the FSI before 19 years of age and before first menstruation with hypertension during adulthood. They did not note any association of the age at FSI with hypertension in non-Hispanic black population.