Having Regular Sex May Delay Menopause, According to Researchers

Experts explain why women who have sex more than once a month go into menopause later.

The study, which was published in the Royal Society Open Science journal, discovered that women who said they had sex weekly were 28% less likely to have gone through menopause than women who had sex less than once a month.1

“We noticed that in existing menopause literature, there was a trend of married women experiencing menopause later—which seemed weird to us,” said Megan Arnot, PhD, the lead study author and human behavioral ecologist. “Not many people had tried to explain this association, and I thought that perhaps it was adaptive in response to sexual frequency, so we decided to test that,” Arnot added.

5 Reasons Why Some Women Go Through Early Menopause

What Is Menopause, Exactly?

Menopause is a normal part of getting older. It specifically defines a point in time 12 months after a woman had her last period. During the menopausal transition, which is the years leading up to menopause (also called perimenopause), a person might experience changes in their period, hot flashes, moodiness, and other symptoms, as their body produces less estrogen.2 The average age a person in the United States reaches menopause is 51, according to The North American Menopause Society.3

Why Can Having More Sex Cause Delayed Menopause?

The study didn’t explore this, but Arnot had some theories. “It might be that women who are perimenopausal don’t feel like having sex,” Arnot said. “It might be that there’s a trade-off between continued ovulation and stopping.” In other words, if you’re not having sex, then you’re not going to get pregnant, Arnot pointed out, “so there’d be little point in maintaining ovulatory function.”

Ovulation also requires a lot of energy from the body, and that can lower immune function, said Arnot. “So there may be a point in life where it’s better off to stop ovulating and invest your energy elsewhere if you’re not going to have a baby (because you’re not having sex).”

Is It Possible to Get Pregnant After Menopause?

So, Can Sex Stave Off Menopause?

Not necessarily. Study co-author Ruth Mace, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at University College London, emphasized that this is a link—not proof that having sex in your 40s and 50s will push back menopause. “We controlled for a wide range of variables, including estrogen hormone levels, smoking, and BMI, and the association remains, but that does not mean that sexual behavior necessarily delays menopause,” Mace said.

Given that sex can change hormone levels, it’s possible that this is the case, Mace added. “Or, it could be a third variable, like other hormone levels that we did not have data on.”

But Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale University Medical School (who was not involved in the new study), said she has “great doubts biologically” that having sex regularly would push back menopause. “The best correlation I know is family history—if mom and sisters went through menopause later, you will likely go through menopause later,” Dr. Minkin said.

But, according to Christine Greves, MD, an OB-GYN at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies in Orlando, Florida, there’s more to menopause than genetics. “Just because your mother may have undergone menopause at a certain age, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll follow in those footsteps,” Dr. Greves said. “There’s a lot we’re still trying to figure out about menopause and I think anything is possible.”

How Your Vagina Changes As You Age

Dr. Minkin’s perspective on the potential connection between late menopause and sexual activity adds an intriguing layer to the discussion. She posits that women who experience menopause later might be more comfortable engaging in sexual activity leading up to this significant life transition. This comfort, Dr. Minkin suggests, could be attributed to the presence of higher estrogen levels in women who go through menopause at a later stage.

Estrogen, a hormone that plays a central role in the female reproductive system, contributes to the health and elasticity of vaginal tissues. With higher levels of estrogen present in the body, the vaginal environment is better equipped to maintain comfort and lubrication during sexual activity. This can contrast starkly with postmenopausal women who often grapple with vaginal dryness and discomfort due to a decline in estrogen levels.

Dr. Minkin’s observations highlight a crucial aspect of sexual health for women as they age. While the study did not definitively establish a causative link between sexual activity and menopause onset, it does emphasize the importance of maintaining sexual well-being throughout one’s life. It suggests that regular sexual activity during the perimenopausal and menopausal period may help sustain vaginal elasticity, potentially making sexual intercourse less painful over time.

Dr. Greves echoes this sentiment, underlining the potential benefits of maintaining an active sex life during these life stages. Her perspective aligns with the idea that engaging in sexual activity regularly can have a positive impact on vaginal health. By keeping the vaginal tissues in good condition, women may experience improved comfort and reduced pain during sex as they age.

In conclusion, while the exact relationship between sexual activity and the timing of menopause remains a subject of ongoing research, the insights offered by Dr. Minkin and Dr. Greves shed light on the multifaceted nature of women’s sexual health. Regardless of the specific mechanisms at play, their perspectives emphasize the importance of open conversations about sexual well-being, hormone levels, and comfort during all phases of a woman’s life. These discussions can contribute to a healthier and more fulfilling sexual experience as women navigate the various stages of menopause and beyond.