The study analysed sex data from the National Survey of Family Growth and specifically looked at a nationally representative sample of 10,463 straight, sexually active women between the ages of 15 and 44.
Researchers discovered that 36.3 per cent of the women surveyed said they’ve tried anal sex a least once in their lives. Apparently they didn’t like it all that much because only 13.2 per cent said they had anal within the last 12 months.
But there was a “type” more likely to have anal sex. Women in their twenties who had no religious affiliation and higher levels of income and education were the most likely to try anal, the study found.
It was also more common with married women or those who were living with their partners than single women. (Researchers found it was equally common among racial and ethnic backgrounds, though.)
There were other factors that suggested a woman was more likely to have anal: having had sex with women, having had an unintentional pregnancy, losing her virginity before the age of 16, and being treated for a sexually transmitted infection in the past year.
But who was the absolute most likely to have had anal sex within the past year? Women who were coupled up and weren’t religious.
Researchers also discovered a disturbing trend: Women were “significantly” less likely to use condoms for anal sex than vaginal sex, putting them at a greater risk for contracting an STI.
While it’s fun to learn that a slew of serious couples are getting kinky, there’s an important takeaway here: If you have anal sex or are interested in trying anal sex, wear a condom. Pregnancy may not be a concern, but you can still get a slew of STIs from back-door sex.
This article was originally published on WomensHealthMag.com