[Patterns of sexual behavior in Chilean women]

Sexuality has an individual connotation, is influenced by biological, environmental and cultural factors and is present throughout all life. AM: To assess the sexual behavior of a group of Chilean women.

A specially devised inquiry was applied to 301 women, aged 20 to 70 years old, that consulted in a medical service.

Seventy seven percent of women were sexually active. These figures ranged from 80% of women aged 40-44 years old to 40% of women over 60. Sixty percent of women living together, 53.7% of single women, 65.6% of divorced women, 94.2% of married women and 100% of widows were sexually active. Women aged 25 to 29 years old had a mean of 8.4 relations per month compared with 3.3 relations among women older than 55. The frequency of sexual intercourse was higher in women living together and lower in widows. The mean age at the first intercourse was 20.6 +/- 4.5 years. Ninety three percent had experienced sexual desire and the percentage of satisfactory sexual relations does not change with age. Less educated women had a lower frequency of orgasms.

Age and legal status of women are related to their sexual behavior and less educated women have a less satisfactory sexual life.