Sex and relationships: a practical consideration

Basically, I need data on how the dynamic of a relationship changes once you've had sex. I'm fairly certain if you're far enough into the relationship, it doesn't have much effect. Likewise, I have the impression that if you have sex really early on, it muddies things up a bit, and then generally there tend to be issues.

So what I'd really appreciate is, if we could eschew the moral arguments for the moment, and stick to concrete examples of how actually having sex changes a relationship, if at all.

Ideally, what I hope to accomplish here is to gain some sort of idea on how first-date sex (for instance) would affect the odds of a successful relationship. I lack my own experience, so I'd like to try drawing vicariously on others.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

At the same time though, a broad sampling of the population and their experiences would give me a framework of expectations.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I'm practically 23 and I'm, for all intents and purposes, completely inexperienced in this type of relationship. I can't say for certain what my reaction to a real sexual experience would be in the context of a relationship, except to say I'm coming to view it as analogous to the amputation of a gangrenous limb. Seems the best way to deal with THAT is to get it over with as fast as possible. With lots of alcohol.

Clearly this is not the most healthy of outlooks. I am attempting to balance the above desire with Plato's definition of a perfect love, which is to say, sex-less. And I really can't explain why I have that as the operative model of romance. It was my hope that looking at how others had managed would give me some idea. I was in error.

And with that, I have likely condemned this thread to angst.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.