Researchers quantify the rate of "mercy sex" among women with low sexual desire

Key Points:

• Women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder still engage in sexual activity about 2.5 times per month, often out of obligation rather than personal arousal, a behavior researchers term "mercy sex."
• Clinical trials for low sexual desire treatments typically measure success by the frequency of sexually satisfying events, but this metric may conflate genuine desire with obligatory sex, potentially skewing efficacy assessments.
• Analysis of multiple clinical trials involving testosterone, flibanserin, and bremelanotide showed consistent baseline sexual activity rates across diverse populations, with some variation by age and cultural context.
• Researchers propose that evolutionary, psychological, and social factors—including relationship maintenance, emotional closeness needs, and cultural/religious expectations—drive women to engage in sex despite low desire.
• The findings highlight the need for future clinical trials to distinguish between increased sexual desire and increased sexual activity motivated by obligation to better evaluate treatment outcomes.