Sexual frequency is associated with age of natural menopause: results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation

Abstract

It is often observed that married women have a later age of natural menopause (ANM) than unmarried women; however, the reason for this association is unknown. We test an original hypothesis that sexual frequency acts as a bio-behavioural mediator between marital status and ANM. We hypothesize that there is a trade-off between continued ovulation and menopause based on the woman's chances of becoming pregnant. If a woman is sexually inactive, then pregnancy is impossible, and continued investment in ovulation would not be adaptive. In addition, we test an existing hypothesis that the observed relationship is because of the exposure to male pheromones. Data from 2936 women were drawn from 11 waves of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, which is a longitudinal study conducted in the United States. Using time-varying Cox regression, we found no evidence for the pheromone hypothesis. However, we did observe that women who reported to have sex weekly during the study period were 28% less likely to experience menopause than women who had sex less than monthly. This is an indication that ANM may be somewhat facultative in response to the likelihood of pregnancy.

Factors predicting age at menopause among Iranian women in the Bandare-Kong cohort study (a cross-sectional survey of PERSIAN cohort study)

“…This difference might be attributed to the variations in genetic and environmental factors [ 28 ]. In this study we found no association between marital status and any of the menopause categories, which was in line with the findings of some previous studies [ 19 , 29 , 30 ]. Studies that found a significant role for marital status in age at menopause related this effect to a better socioeconomical status, better family support, higher hygiene level, and better quality of life in married women compared to single women [ 30 , 31 ].…”

Menopausal status, age and management among women living with HIV in the UK

“…Married women have been reported to reach menopause at a later age [12]; however, there is much discussion around how these two factors may be linked and whether the association may be confounded by the frequency of sexual activity, parity and socio‐economic status [13]. Evidence to suggest an association between menopausal status and employment status is lacking.…”

The Health Benefits of Sexual Expression

“…An example of a short-term benefit is the increased pain threshold for a short period after female genital stimulation (Whipple & Komisaruk, 1985). An example of an intermediate-term benefit is the postponement of natural menopause (and the accompanying hypoestrogenism) in women with more frequent sex (Arnot & Mace, 2020). Examples of long-term benefits are the decreased risk for prostate cancer in men who over the decades have ejaculated more frequently (Rider et al, 2016), increased longevity in men who continued with sexuality, and increased longevity in women who have had a more satisfying sexual life (Palmore, 1982).…”

“…Post-menopausal women who continue to be sexually active, show less vaginal atrophy and higher levels of androgens and gonadotropins (Leiblum et al, 1983). Women who are more sexually active also show slower transitions to menopause and the accompanying hypoestrogenism (Arnot & Mace, 2020).…”