# Do women experience sexual appetite only during certain time of the month (ovulation)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-experience-sexual-appetite-only-during-certain-time-of-the-month-ovulation/810282>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 9, 2018, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-experience-sexual-appetite-only-during-certain-time-of-the-month-ovulation/810282 "2018-03-09T15:16:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-experience-sexual-appetite-only-during-certain-time-of-the-month-ovulation/810282/61 "2018-03-12T11:16:26Z")

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> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> Hey, I’ve tried to teach my wife “Settlers of Catan” but she just isn’t up for that kind of freaky shit.

You shouldn’t have told her you had wood for sheep.

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**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-experience-sexual-appetite-only-during-certain-time-of-the-month-ovulation/810282/62 "2018-03-12T14:15:16Z")

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> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> Uh…yes?
> 
> I suppose there have been times where I’ve been sick, and I haven’t bothered trying to make anything happen. But if my wife wanted something to happen, I sure wouldn’t refuse. However the issue has never come up, because when I’m sick I’m apparently sufficiently repulsive that the matter has never been tested.

> [@Procrustus](#):
>
> There are things which factor into my decision about whether I “decide to go for it on a given occasion.” Do we have enough time, for example. Usually, however, it’s my perception of my wife’s likely response. If I think she’s up for it, there aren’t many (any?) things that come to mind that would cause me to forgo a good romp in the hay.
> 
> Yes, unless it was quite a serious stomach ache. I’ve had plenty of financial anxiety over the years, and I can confidently state it does not effect my sex drive.

I suspect that either you guys are atypical or your SOs are. (I looked around a bit and can’t find any definitive data.)

> [@Dangerosa](#):
>
> And those mental cues for desire or “oh, God, not tonight” are probably FAR more important than what time of the month it is.

I’m not trying to rank menstrual cycle against other factors. But it’s a factor. (ISTM that everyone agrees about that, at this point.)

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**Author:** ![ArtBeforeScience](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@ArtBeforeScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtBeforeScience)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2018, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-women-experience-sexual-appetite-only-during-certain-time-of-the-month-ovulation/810282/63 "2018-03-12T16:06:32Z")

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I think you’re looking in the wrong places for information about female libido, and assuming all females are identical machines is a bit silly. Speaking as an actual female here (EEEK!!) menstrual cycles are only one of MANY many factors and it’s not 100% consistent how it impacts things. I think psychological factors are more important and, frankly, overall health, stress levels, setting, individual traits, and of course personal chemistry. All that stuff about “Women only feel sexual sensation internally during ovulation.” … ? You’ve got to be kidding me.

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