What Is The Cause for Sexual Problems During Menopause?

Updated: Jun 18, 2020


Sex in different cultures has different norms and values attached to it. Sexual problems with women in their mid life are shown to be mainly motivated by intense psychological issues rather than physiological. Usually women's sexual libido is shown to be motivated by relationship and personal factors.

sex problems menopause

Women complaining of sexual dysfunction during and after menopause came to doctors seeking a remedy. Many are under the impression hormone replacement therapies will alleviate it. The problem is doctors and HRT tend to treat women's sexual symptoms as a standardized problem. No ones sexual drive is the same and differs from each individual. Therefore treating it will have to be altered according to the patient.

Many believed the decrease of testosterone production during and after menopause was a motivating factor. Studies were undertaken and results confirmed that this was no factor in the decline of low sex drive in menopausal women. HRT was also brought under light, but it showed no aid in improving low libido either.

One of the main reasons was the patients' personal feelings towards menopause and the body changes. Many still view it as a negative part of their sexuality fading away. Many women seek to be treated with HRT to remedy a lack of sexual desire.

Recent trials were done at The Department of Urology at Aalborg university Hospital in Denmark, on perimenopausal and post menopausal women. Controlled tests were carried out using various estrogen/progesterone and progesterone/testosterone therapies. The results concluded that these therapies had a positive affect in curing vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. It had shown to have positive affects on low libido, in that it promoted arousal but not desire.

Doctors advise that women on HRT should be on it for the shortest time possible, and not continue with it after menopause. FSD (Female Sexual Dysfunction) has been long under investigation, and it is multi faceted as it is divided into 4 main groups: desire, arousal, orgasm and pain problems. HRT has only shown a short term affect on the physiological side such as orgasm and arousal. The rest are mainly influenced by emotional and psychological factors. It is also important to note that all four or three work together, and having the one treated does not mean low libido is solved.

Looking for professional help would be to consult a therapist or go to group therapy with your partner depending on your relationship status.

Conclusions: Tests confirm that HRT is not an effective method in treating FSD during menopause.

Article published on February 27, 2008

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