[Sexual health: variability in Switzerland and Europe].
Sexual Health is interrelated with both, sex and gender, through its biological dimension, its connection with cultural conventions, and its impact on women's health. Reproductive factors are presented from two cohorts, the Swiss SAPALDIA study and the European Community Respiratory Health Survey. Reproductive characteristics vary considerably across Switzerland and across Europe. A shift is observed towards lower ages at menarche and higher ages at menopause in younger cohorts. Smoking is the most important determinant of an early menopause. These secular trends imply that there will be changes also in the prevalence of diseases associated with age at menopause such as breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases.