Having sex early in a relationship can lead to less emotionally satisfying relationships further down the road, according to a new study from New York’s Cornell University reported in The Daily Mail.

According to the researchers delaying sex in a relationship is a better approach to building up a healthy relationship.

The study, published in the August edition of the prestigious Journal of Marriage and Family, found that delaying sex gave couples time to get to know each other and work out just how compatible they were.

Around a third of the men and women said they’d had sex within the first month of dating, while about 28 per cent waited at least six months.

Women who had waited to have sex were found to be happier, the study showed. And those who waited at least six months scored more highly in every category measured than those who had sex within the first month. Even their sex lives were better.

The link was weaker for men. However, men who waited to get physically involved had fewer rows with their partners.

According to the authors of the study, judgment could be impaired where this sex was not delayed, leading to less fulfilling long-term relationships.

The researchers said: “Precocious pre-marital sexual activities may have lasting effects on relationship quality.

“Courtship is a time for exploration and decision-making about the relationship, when partners assess compatibility, make commitments and build on emotional and physical intimacy.

“The rapid entry into sexual relationships may, however, cut short this process, setting the stage for ‘sliding’ rather than ‘deciding’ to enter co-habiting unions.”

The research team from Cornell University asked almost 600 married and co-habiting couples how happy they were together.

They were asked how committed they were to the relationship, how emotionally involved they were and how well they communicated, as well as about how often they argued and about their level of sexual satisfaction.

They were also asked how long they had waited before having sex. Money worries and other factors that could have skewed the results of the study were taken into account.

The researchers said couples may benefit from taking things slowly.

“A strong sexual desire may thwart the development of other key ingredients of a healthy relationship such as commitment, mutual understanding or shared values,” the report said. “Good sex is sometimes confused with love; some couples overlook problematic aspects of their relationship that ultimately matter more in the long run.”