Sexual behavior in lesbian and heterosexual women: relations with menstrual cycle phase and partner availability

Psychoneuroendocrinology
Mary H BurlesonW Larry Gregory

Abstract

Using a prospective design over three complete menstrual cycles, 147 heterosexual and 89 lesbian women made daily recordings of their basal body temperature (BBT), cervical mucus status, menses, and completed a daily checklist of various sexual behaviors (including sexual self-stimulation and sexual activity with a partner). They also gave their age, height, weight, age at menarche, number of pregnancies, duration of sleep, tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol use, and whether they had a live-in sexual partner. Using BBT, cervical mucus status, and menses information, cycle days were grouped into five discrete phases: menses, follicular, ovulatory, early luteal, and premenstrual. Daily frequencies of sexual behavior with a partner and autosexual behavior were computed for each phase. Mixed ANOVAs on the resultant proportional data revealed similar patterns for autosexual behavior across the phases for both heterosexuals and lesbians who did not have a live-in partner, in which autosexual behavior was highest during the follicular and ovulatory phases. For those with live-in partners, autosexual behavior did not vary across the phases. Lesbians engaged in more autosexual behavior overall. Allosexual behavior peaked during the follicul...Continue Reading

References

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Citations

Feb 7, 2009·The Cancer Journal·Ulrike BoehmerDeborah J Bowen
May 25, 2007·Journal of Women's Health·J Kathleen Tracy, John Junginger
Nov 16, 2011·The Journal of Sexual Medicine·Andrea BurriKenneth Sandnabba
Apr 14, 2010·The Journal of Sexual Medicine·Benjamin N BreyerAlan W Shindel
Jun 5, 2013·Journal of Sex Research·Ulrike BoehmerJennifer Potter
Oct 10, 2014·Evolutionary Psychology : an International Journal of Evolutionary Approaches to Psychology and Behavior·Jan AntfolkPekka Santtila
Apr 26, 2005·American Journal of Human Biology : the Official Journal of the Human Biology Council·Lynnette Leidy Sievert, Catherine A Dubois
May 28, 2019·Evolutionary Psychology : an International Journal of Evolutionary Approaches to Psychology and Behavior·K R van SteinK Brenk-Franz
Nov 22, 2016·Hormones and Behavior·Natalie V Motta-Mena, David A Puts
Jun 5, 2018·Hormones and Behavior·Talia N ShiraziMeredith L Chivers
Sep 13, 2019·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Jordane BoudesseulLaurent Bègue

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