Abstract
Sexual arousability of women has not been consistently found to vary significantly over phases of the menstrual cycle. We studied changes in the temperature of a labium minus and subjective sexual and genital arousal recorded on semantic scales while watching erotic video in 12 women with natural menstrual cycles and 12 women using low-dose estrogen oral contraceptive pills. Natural cycle phase was ascertained by blood progesterone. Subjects were tested twice, with an interval of about 2 weeks. Half of each group had their first test during their luteal phase, the others during their follicular phase. Women tested for the first time in their follicular phase were sexually more aroused than women tested for the first time during their luteal phase. This was true for both objective (i.e., a labium minus change in temperature) and subjective genital arousal. When these women were retested in their alternative phase of the menstrual cycle, those who were then follicular did not score higher than those who were then luteal. On the contrary, the latter group scored as high as when tested during their follicular phase. This phenomenon was observed both in women with and without oral contraception. The nature of the menstrual phase (i.e., natural or pill-induced) seems irrelevant in this respect. Sexual arousal achieved during the first session appeared to be correlated with an increase in desire for making love during the rest of the day and night. Only 1 of 12 women tested during their luteal phase indicated an increase in desire to make love, while 6 of 12 women tested during their follicular phase indicated an increase. Apparently the menstrual cycle phase during the first test determines the immediate response and indirectly affects the response during the second test approximately 10 days later. In a random block design the difference in sexual response between follicular and luteal phase of the menstrual cycle disappears.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bancroft, J. (1989).Human Sexuality and Its Problems Churchill Livingstone, Edingburgh, Scotland.
Beach F. A. (1948).Hormones and Behavior Cooper Square, New York.
de Jong, F. H., Baird, D. T., and van der Molen, H. J. (1974). Ovarian secretion rates of oestrogens, androgens and progesterone in normal women and in women with persistent ovarian follicles.Acta Endocrinol. 77: 575–587.
Hatch, J. P. (1979). Vaginal photoplethysmography: Methodological considerations.Arch. Sex. Behav. 8: 357–374.
Henson, D. E., Rubin, H. B., Henson, C., and Williams, J. R. (1977). Temperature change of the labia minora as an objective measure of female eroticism.J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiat. 8: 401–410.
Henson, D. E., Rubin, H. B, and Henson, C. (1982). Labial and vaginal blood volume responses to visual and tactile stimuli.Arch. Sex. Behav. 11: 23–31.
Hoon, P. W., Bruce, K., and Kinchloe, B. (1982). Does the menstrual cycle play a role in sexual arousal?Psychophysiology 19: 21–27.
Leshner, A. I. (1978).An Introduction to Behavioral Endocrinology Oxford University Press, New York.
Morrell, M. J., Dixen, J. M., Carter, C. S., and Davidson, J. M. (1984). The influence of age and cycling status on sexual arousability in women.Am. J. Obstet. Gyncol. 148: 66–71.
Morris, N. M., and Udry, J. R. (1982). Epidemiological patterns of sexual behavior in the menstrual cycle. In Friedman, R. C. (ed.),Behavior and the Menstrual Cycle Debber, New York.
Nieuwenhuijsen, K., de Neef, K. J., and Slob, A. K. (1986). Sexual behavior during ovarian cycles, pregnancy and lactation in group-living stumptail macaques (Macaca arctoides).Hum. Reprod. 1: 159–169.
Sanders, D., Warner, P., Bäckström, T., and Bancroft, J. (1983). Mood, sexuality, hormones and the menstrual cycle. I. Changes in mood and physical state: Description of subjects and method.Psychosom. Med. 45: 487–501.
Schreiner-Engel, P., Schiavi, R. S., and Smith, H. (1981). Female sexual arousal: relation between cognitive and genital assessments.J. Sex Marital Ther. 7: 256–267.
Schreiner-Engel, P., Schiavi, R. C., Smith, H., and White, D. (1981). Sexual arousability and the menstrual cycle.Psychosom. Med. 43: 199–214.
Slob, A. K., Koster, J., Radder, J. K., and van der Werff ten Bosch, J. J. (1990). Sexuality and psychophysiological functioning in women with diabetes mellitus.J. Sex Marital Ther. 16: 59–69.
Verjans, H. L., Cooke, B. A., de Jong, F. H., de Jong, C. M. M., and van der Molen, H. J. (1973). Evaluation of a radioimmunoassay for testosterone estimation.J. Steroid. Biochem. 4: 665–676.
Wincze, J. P., Hoon, E. F., and Hoon, P. W. (1976). Physiological responsivity of normal and sexually dysfunctional women during erotic stimulus exposure.J. Psychosom. Res. 20: 445–451.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Slob, A.K., Ernste, M. & van der Werff ten Bosch, J.J. Menstrual cycle phase and sexual arousability in women. Arch Sex Behav 20, 567–577 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01550955
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01550955