Students kiss as they march through the streets of Paris in support of the French government's draft law to legalise marriage and adoption for same-sex couples, January 27, 2013.
Students kiss as they march through the streets of Paris in support of the French government's draft law to legalise marriage and adoption for same-sex couples, January 27, 2013. Reuters

According to a study by Beth Montemurro, an associate professor of sociology from Penn State Abington, sex is more satisfying for women when they are in love and in a committed relationship.

As part of the study, a 90-minute interviews were conducted on 95 heterosexual women between 20 and 68 years old from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. They were of a belief that love was necessary to be satisfied completely in marriage as well as sexual relationships. They believed that more than just an emotional well-being, it can also make sex more pleasurable.

Montemurro explained that during the interviews, women agreed that they linked love with sex and it helped enhance the physical experience as well. The women felt that when they were in love with their sexual partners, there is less inhibition and more willingness to explore sexuality. She added that in addition to feeling greater sexual urgencies, the women trusted their partners and also felt it was okay to have sex since they are in love.

Women that are older said that love, sex and marriage has an important connection and that they see sex as an expression of love. Though there are so many instances that awareness was created on women's sexual desire, media still has a tendency to look down on those who have sex when they are not in a committed relationship.

Montemurro explained that media at times is fine with the concept of casual sex, but movies and television had a tendency of portraying those couples negatively. Media also seemed to portray marriage as sexless and the study proves them wrong as most of the participants believed that sex is an important part of marriage.

Montemurro spoke about her findings at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association on August 19.