Woman in bed
The study shows women suffer psychological stress from male premature ejaculation Getty

Premature ejaculation causes significantly increased psychological strain in women as well as men, a study has revealed.

PE is one of the most common sexual disorders in men. According to Relate, the UK's largest provider of relationship support, premature ejaculation affects approximately 30% to 40% of men.

The problem is known to cause serious psychological distress among the men it affects. However a survey conducted by researchers at the University of Zurich shows that women are also seriously affected.

Andrea Burri, a clinical psychologist, polled over 1,500 women from Mexico, Italy and South Korea, with 40% indicating that ejaculation control is very important for satisfactory intercourse.

The research suggests that, in cases of PE, women do not view the duration of the intercourse as the main problem, but the fact that the man is focused too strongly on delaying ejaculation.

For the majority of the women polled, a satisfying sexual experience does not only consist of intercourse, but also includes kissing, caressing and other forms of stimulation. If the man is primarily preoccupied with premature ejaculation and thus his performance, these needs can be ignored.

Long-term problems

"In the long run, the woman becomes distressed and frustrated. Much like the man, she avoids sexual contact for fear of rejection and the resulting trauma for her own sexuality," explained Burri.

The survey reveals that an essentially harmonious relationship often ends in a split due to the woman's psychological strain and pent-up frustration.

The majority of the women indicated having been considerably more satisfied in previous relationships with partners who did not suffer from a sexual problem. Moreover, a quarter of the respondents had already experience a breakup in the past because of this sexual problem.

"The consequences are often more far-reaching than simple sexual dissatisfaction as, in extreme cases, it poses a threat to the desire to have children if the man already ejaculates prior to actual intercourse," Burri concluded, as reported in the Times of India.

The research was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine.