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Sex after menopause
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
With age, both in men and in women, sexual desire gradually decreases, but, according to gerontologists, for women, sex after menopause loses value two to three times more often.
Does a woman want sex after menopause?
It is difficult to unequivocally answer this question, since the decrease in sex drive in most women begins after 45-50 years, but the influence of age on sexual needs has individual characteristics. There are women who do not want sex in their forty years, others do not notice any changes, and some of them to the question - does the woman want sex after menopause? - Respond in the affirmative and even report an increase in interest in sex in adulthood.
Since the estrogen level in a woman during menopause falls, sex can be painful, and dyspareunia (pain during intercourse) is observed on average in 34% of women over the age of 50-55 years. The cause of discomfort, burning and pain during sex - atrophic changes in the vagina, dryness and thinning of his tissues and lack of vaginal lubrication. This can lead to traumatic injuries and bleeding of the vaginal mucosa.
Thus, the hypoactivity of sexual desire after menopause has physiological causes and can not be regarded as pathology. On the other hand, for some women of this age category, lack of sexual desire is a source of anxiety, reducing their satisfaction with life and the level of self-esteem. Very often, the problem can be that a woman's unwillingness to have sex frustrates her partner and threatens to weaken their relationship.
Can I have sex after menopause?
Sexologists and gynecologists to the question of whether it is possible to have sex after menopause, respond positively. Meanwhile, one should keep in mind that there are certain medical problems associated with age-related atrophy of the vagina. In particular, this shortening and narrowing of the vagina.
In addition to the above unpleasant symptoms, a significant severity of vaginal atrophy can be accompanied by incontinence or urogenital syndrome of menopause - urinary incontinence with more frequent urge to urinate and burning when urinating. Also, atrophic processes in the tissues can lead to the development of vaginal dysbiosis with menopause. And in this case, having sex after menopause - especially in the presence of complications in the form of bacterial or candidal vulvovaginitis and endocervate - can not: first you need to get rid of the infection, that is, undergo treatment with appropriate medications.
Doctors recommend using dryness of the vagina after menopause to improve the quality of sexual intercourse use lubricants - special hydrating agents-hydrants (Replens, Luvena, etc.).
Undoubtedly, the age-related changes in the hormonal background after the onset of menopause affect the sensations during sex: the orgasm is less intense or completely absent. In a large nationwide survey of sexual behavior among older adult Americans, 23% of women aged 57-80 years noted that they no longer enjoy sex.
But this, according to doctors, does not mean that women in the menopause period should forget about the sexual side of the relationship, mistakenly believing that sex is only for the young. After all, it is this point of view that often leads to a loss of sexual interest. And sex after menopause increases blood flow to the genitals, keeping them healthy longer.
