Scientists link regular intimacy to delayed menopause

Having regular sex could delay menopause, a study has shown.

According to information released by researchers, women who have sex regularly have a higher chance of reaching menopause at a later date.

Healthline states that menopause occurs when a woman hasn’t had her period for four consecutive years. This takes place when the hormones in the ovaries are produced in fewer quantities as the ovaries age.

Common symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, irregular periods, weight gain and mood swings.

Menopause is a natural phase every woman between the age of 45 and 55 has to go through but it is also dependent on genetics and lifestyle choices which can speed up the process.

The scientists above have however stated that sex at least once a week signals to the body that pregnancy could take place. This, in turn, prompts it to produce the necessary hormones ready for pregnancy. It is the reduction of these hormones that marks the onset of menopause. Hence, if the body keeps producing them, menopause can be delayed.

The study was based on research done on nearly 3, 000 pre-menopausal women in the United States, over a period of 10 years. Most of these women were in heterosexual relationships during that period. Of the 3, 000 64% had sex on a weekly basis.

At the end of the study, researchers found that most of the women who had regular sex were less likely to have undergone menopause than the women who had sex less than once a month.