Dr Ruth Mace of University College London has published a study on factors influencing menopause. According to the study, conducted on over 3,000 women, having multiple sexual intercourse could delay the phenomenon. The absence of relationships would in fact mark the end of the reproductive period for the organism.

The end of the fertile period brings with it a series of negative consequences for the organism, which go far beyond the impossibility of conceiving. Hormonal changes cause psychological and physical discomforts, including an increased risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. For this reason, the author of the study studied how to delay it as much as possible. From what emerged, sexual activity could help move the phenomenon forward.

The research team analyzed data from 3,000 women around 45 years old, collected during a study conducted between 1996 and 1997. At that time, none of the women were in menopause. The researchers also interviewed women about their health, eating habits, frequency of sexual intercourse and masturbation. About 50% of respondents said they had sex once a week. Ten years later, researchers returned to interview them.

In 2007, 1 in 2 women entered menopause around the age of 52. The theme of Dr. Mace has crossed the data with those collected in 1997, revealing a correlation between the age of menopause and sexual habits. In women with an active intimate life, the odds of entering menopause early were 28% lower. However, the reasons for the phenomenon are unclear.

According to study co-author Megan Arnot, early menopause may be an adaptive response. The absence of intercourse would be the signal that the woman is no longer seeking pregnancy, which would push the body to stop ovulating. At the moment, however, they are only conjectures.

Source: lastampa.it