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Menstrual cycle-driven vs noncyclical daily changes in sexual desire
Jeff Kiesner1, Celeste Bittoni1, Tory Eisenlohr-Moul2
1Department of Psychology, Università Degli Studi di Padova, Padova 35131, Italy.
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
|April 10, 2023
Summary
The menstrual cycle influences sexual desire differently for each woman, with psychological changes playing a larger role than physical ones. Daily tracking reveals individual patterns in sexual desire across cycles.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive endocrinology
- Female psychology
- Human sexuality
Background:
- Previous research on menstrual cycle's effect on sexual desire yielded inconsistent results.
- Studies often overlooked psychological and physical changes linked to the menstrual cycle.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the menstrual cycle, its symptoms, and shifts in sexual desire.
- To explore individual variations in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective daily reports from 213 female university students over two menstrual cycles.
- Multilevel analyses examined average effects, individual differences, and associations between sexual desire and nine menstrual cycle-related symptoms.
Main Results:
- A small average midcycle increase in sexual desire was observed.
- Significant individual differences in sexual desire patterns across the menstrual cycle were found.
- Psychological changes were stronger predictors of sexual desire than physical changes.
Conclusions:
- Daily assessment of sexual desire across menstrual cycles is valuable for understanding individual female experiences.
- Rigorous research methods are needed to move beyond simplistic models of menstrual cycle effects on sexual desire.
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