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Consuming porn stir up body-related insecurities in women that might not only lessen their interest in engaging in intimate activities with their partners but also negatively affect their arousal, a study suggests.

Researchers have explored the association between pornography and intimate partner experiences among heterosexual women and revealed that there was a complex relationship between the two.

Published in the Journal of Women's Health, the study reveals that thinking of pornographic material during intimate experiences with a heterosexual partner among women might give rise to insecurities about appearances and thus reduces the enjoyment of the intimate acts.

For the findings, the research team surveyed 706 heterosexual women aged 18-29 in the United States, associating the consumption of pornography with sexual preferences, experiences, and concerns.

The researchers reported that while most women in the study sample had seen pornography, fewer than half used it for masturbation.

Those women who consume porn at higher rates for masturbation tended to depend more on pornographic scripts at the time of sex to achieve and maintain arousal and were more likely to choose pornography than have sex with a partner.

"The researchers demonstrate a clear difference between the role of pornography in sexual experiences of women compared to men," said Susan G Kornstein from Virginia Commonwealth University in the United States.

"Whereas the relationship tends to be more direct in young heterosexual men and just viewing pornographic material is associated with reduced sexual intimacy and satisfaction, women make the material part of their personal sexual experience and carry the pornographic script into their intimate partner experiences," Kornstein said.

By Sowmya Sangam