UK women blame gadgets for destroying romance

INSTANT access technology such as Blackberrys, the internet and round-the-clock television is having an impact on British women.

Women are complaining that passion with a partner begins to decline after just 12 months, with many blaming iPhones, mp3 players and other 21st-century distractions for less fun in the bedroom.

The research published yesterday also shows that many women are missing their sexual peak by a decade. More than one in two feel sexiest during their thirties, yet two in three have the most sex in their twenties.

Research by pharmaceutical giant Bayer found the stresses of modern life such as tiredness, demands of children, e-mails, phone calls and late-night TV often destroy the romantic atmosphere in the bedroom.

One in ten women say their fear of pregnancy inhibits them in the bedroom, with one in five women admitting they shun contraception.

The survey found that on average British women have sex 1.4 times a week, but six in ten women aged between 25 and 34 would like a more active sex life.

Fifty-one per cent of women believe they reach their sexual peak in their thirties, but 66 per cent say they had the most sex in their twenties. Two-thirds of women say their partners do not make enough effort in the bedroom, but a third always let their partner make the first move.