THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Regular sexual activity is associated with a lower prevalence of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM)-related symptoms, according to a study published online June 25 in Menopause.

Yoshikazu Sato, M.D., Ph.D., from Sanjukai Urological Hospital in Sapporo, Japan, and colleagues examined the association between sexual regularity and sexual symptoms among perimenopausal and postmenopausal Japanese women. A total of 911 sexually active women aged 40 to 79 years were divided into two groups: those with regular sexual activity in the past three months (716 women) and a lower sexual activity group, which included women with sexual activity in the past year but not in the past three months (195 women).

The researchers found with age, there was a significant decrease in sexual desire, arousal, and lubrication ability, while sexual pain increased. No significant decline was seen in orgasm and satisfaction with age. Sexual symptoms did not differ significantly in the regular and lower sexual activity groups; however, the regular sexual activity group had significantly lower vulvar symptoms than the lower sexual activity group. Lower odds of vulvar pain, dryness, and irritation were seen in association with sexual activity in the past three months.

“Some sexual functions and symptoms change with age but may be maintained in women who engage in more regular sexual activity,” the authors write. “This study also revealed that women with regular sexual activity showed a low prevalence of GSM-related symptoms.”

Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. cooperated in data collection.

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