How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected women's sexual behavior?

A recent study from Turkey found that women's sexual desire and frequency of intercourse increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, but their quality of sexual life decreased. The findings are published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics.

In the study of 58 women, women participated in sexual intercourse on average 2.4 times per week during the pandemic, compared with 1.9 times in the 6–12 months prior to the pandemic. Before the pandemic 32.7% of participants desired to become pregnant, compared with 5.1% during the pandemic; however, use of contraception decreased during the pandemic.

Menstrual disorders were more common during the pandemic than before (27.6% versus 12.1%), and participants generated worse scores on a questionnaire based on sexual function during the pandemic compared with scores before the pandemic.