A recent survey has found that women are choosing to lose their virginity later in life.

While a study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University says the average age women lose their virginity is 17, Tampa women say the ideal age to lose it is 20, with one in nine women over the age of 18 in Tampa still a virgin, according to the survey.

The survey, conducted by seekingarrangements.com, asked more than 77,000 women in 24 major US cities about their lifestyles in the world of sex and dating. Key statistics in the survey show women are dating more often, but more selectively, Leroy Velasquez, public relations manager for seekingarangements.com, who conducted the online survey, said

We didnt really know what to expect when we conducted it, Velasquez said. We just wanted to see if there was a relationship between online dating and sexual activity. Turns out (women) will date often, but carefully. Thats the mindset we interpreted from the results of this survey.

While the survey found that nationally women stated the ideal age to lose ones virginity was 19, Velasquez said of the 4,617 Tampa women surveyed, 44 percent said they thought the ideal age for a woman to lose her virginity is 20.

Amanda Damminger, a junior majoring in political science, said she was a little surprised to hear the results of the study. Damminger said she thought more women would have stated a younger age.

I commend them, Damminger said. When I went to high school, girls were making bad decisions about sex for the wrong reasons.

Damminger said she thinks peer pressure is playing a larger role in pushing women to wait and think more carefully.

Velasquez said the results of the survey indicate women are waiting to lose their virginity because they are becoming more educated about their choices through online dating and other social networks.

We found that the number one reason for virgins holding out was increased selectivity because they met more people online, Velasquez said. They have a better understanding of what they are looking for.

If respondents to the survey stated they were virgins, they were asked why they remained a virgin, offering answers including marriage, personal beliefs or religion, upbringing and culture or other reasons.

My personal religious beliefs are to wait until marriage, Damminger said. I also feel that it is safer to wait for it. Its not like God is going to come out and hurl lightning bolts at me, but Id like to know I am not making any bad decisions.”

Citing a study from the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University, Velasquez said the actual age of when women lose their virginity is approximately 17 and the age of men is 16.

It is interesting to gauge a perspective from women who are using dating websites, he said. The fact that they use an online dating website actually increases their activity in terms of relationships and dating, but also increases their selectivity, which is exactly the opposite of what we expected going into the survey.

While women surveyed in cities such as Cleveland, New Orleans and Los Angeles indicate the ideal age for losing ones virginity is 18, a study on USF Healths College of Public Healths website shows a declining trend in early sexual activity in both male and female students.

Nataly Abrams, a freshman majoring in microbiology, said she wasnt surprised by the findings in the study.

As long as you love the person you are with and are comfortable, it shouldnt matter when you lose your virginity, Abrams said.

Velasquez said the women surveyed were also offered the choice of just not wanting to.

Throughout the thousands of participants, 74 percent said this last reason was why women remained inactive from sex.

They are just waiting to find the right person. finding that person youd like to lose your virginity to, Velasquez said.

Velasquez said his website is currently working on a similar study regarding the virginity and lifestyles of men. This study, Velasquez said, will be released in the next two months.