Sex with the ex is common for young adults

New research announced this week has analyzed the tumultuous love lives of late teens and young 20-somethings, finding breakups, reconciliations, and sex with exes a common ingredient.

The study relied on data from nearly 800 respondents who were 17 to 24 years old from more than 60 different schools.

"This study shows that there is a lot of fluidity in emerging adults' romantic relationships," says postdoctoral fellow Sarah Halpern-Meekin. "They are fairly likely to go through periods of being undefined or in flux. We are still learning what this may mean for young people's well-being and future romantic experiences."

Prior studies have shown that condom use is high at the beginning of relationships but tends to drop over time, reports LiveScience. While sex with an ex may be casual, exes may be less likely to use a condom than they would with a less familiar partner, LiveScience adds.