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Heterosexual activity: relationship with ovarian function

M H Burleson1, W L Gregory, W R Trevathan

  • 1Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, USA.

Psychoneuroendocrinology
|January 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Women's sexual activity levels correlate with menstrual cycle regularity. Lower sexual activity during the luteal phase suggests ovulation influences female sexual desire.

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Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Endocrinology
  • Human Sexuality
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

  • Previous studies suggested a link between the timing of heterosexual activity and ovarian function.
  • The precise nature of this relationship, particularly in women, requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between the temporal pattern of heterosexual activity and ovarian functioning in women.
  • To explore potential mediators and test hypotheses regarding the influence of ovarian cycles on sexual activity.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective daily records of menses, basal body temperature, and sexual activity were collected from 147 women over three menstrual cycles.
  • Statistical analyses examined correlations and tested hypotheses regarding cycle phase and sexual activity.

Main Results:

  • Women with intermediate sexual activity showed more optimal menstrual cycles, contrary to previous findings.
  • Sexual activity was higher during anovulatory cycles compared to ovulatory cycles, specifically in the second half of the cycle.
  • Tested mediators (pheromones, semen absorption, orgasm) did not explain the relationship.

Conclusions:

  • Ovulation appears to temporally precede and influence the level of sexual activity in heterosexual women.
  • Physiological changes during the menstrual cycle may impact female sexual behavior.
  • The findings challenge previous assumptions and highlight a potential feedback loop.

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