Bad sex in a relationship might not seem like a major deal-breaker to some, but, because sexual chemistry is a major influencer in making (and keeping) a partner happy, things can go south in a hurry if bad sex starts to happen.

In a new poll from Pure Romance, we see the cold hard facts about, why having bad sex, can lead to the end of a relationship. Plus, we get a little insight as to how many times partners are willing to put up with the lack of sexual fulfillment before really calling things off.

We all know that physical attraction is one of the most important factors when dating someone. We’re not saying the girl/guy has to be a model, but, if there’s no physical attraction, any hopeful relationship is pretty much doomed. Along those same lines, sexual chemistry has to be towards the top of the list, too. After all, who wants to go through all the work it takes to keep a relationship healthy only to have bad sex?

Thanks to a new poll from Pure Romance, via Women’s Health, which polled 2,000 adults of both men and women, we now have an idea about how bad sex can lead to the end of relationships — so it’s time to pay attention and try to improve your bedroom skills.

Now, let’s first start with what the term “bad sex” really means, per the study, because, really, different people enjoy/dislike different things in the bedroom.

According to the study, men attributed “bad sex” to things such as lack or orgasm (41 percent), lack of foreplay (36 percent) and when sex was too fast (29 percent). In contrast, women said that bad sex were things like the inability to finish or it was too fast (44 percent), dirty sheets (37 percent) and, more important, the lack of foreplay before penetration (57 percent).

The study also showed that six in 10 people start a relationship with bad sex, which is kind of surprising since it’s such a major factor between two people. It also showed that, per the participants, 71 percent of people didn’t think one bad experience determined the future sex together, and that it took 4.5 bad sex encounters before men and women called things off.

That’s a bit of silver-lining for those who are overly concerned about their sexual performance, especially when entering into something with a new partner. But, like anything in a relationship, communication and being open about what does and doesn’t feel good is important — which is why 46 percent of the study’s participants said they talked to their partners about their needs (which helped), and that, with some talking and addition of sex toys or new sex positions, that 71 percent of participants said things improved over time.

So, the next time you think that bad sex with a new partner was unsatisfying and is a major concern, remember to stay patient and talk things out to try and make things better for the next times. If things don’t improve after that, well, there’s always other fish in the sea.

(H/T Women’s Health)