Is There Sex After Menopause?

Does menopause mean that sex is no longer an important or desired part of life? No! Countless numbers of both genders believe that menopause means less sexual desire; however, that is not neccessarily true. In fact, sex after menopause is often as enjoyable, sometimes even more enjoyable than before menopause. Since you no longer face any threat of pregnancy and your children have grown up, or at least are almost grown, you and your spouse are finally alone for what is, many times, the first time since you married. So, go ahead and enjoy your opportunity to have the best sex of your life!

Yes, it's true that getting older, often means it takes a little longer to feel sexually aroused, and it's quite normal to experience a small decrease in sexual desire as part of the aging process. But growing older doesn't mean that your sex life is over. If you have experienced a loss of sexual desire since menopause, before you decide that menopause or just getting older is responsible for your lowered libido, consider a few other possible causes.

Many medications such as anti-hypertensive medications, tranquilizers, and antidepressants can change how you feel about sex. Other issues that affect sexual response include diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and arthritis, as well as your self-image and the amount of stress you must deal with on a daily basis.

Is Reduced Estrogen After Menopause the Culprit Behind Lowered Sexual Desire?

Researchers at the New England Research Institute and the University of Massachusetts Medical School have discovered an amazing fact. While many of us naturally assume that the drop in estrogen production experienced during menopause is responsible for the postmenopausal decrease in sexual desire often experienced by postmenopausal women, the fact is that key factors influencing who has sexual issues include individual attitudes towards sexuality, overall health and marital status play a significant role in determining who experiences sexual issues during menopause and that estrogen is not related to changes in sexual response in postmenopausal women. Researchers found only one issue related to decreased estrogen production during menopause – painful sexual intercourse.

What You Believe About Sex and Menopause is What You Get?

A key finding, by the researchers, is that the only women to experience loss of sexual desire during the postmenopausal period, were only those women who believed that loss of interest in sex is a normal part of the aging process.

Does Postmenopausal Testosterone Supplementation Increase Sexual Desire?

Many women are able to increase lost sexual desire using prescribed testosterone during menopause. The benefits of testosterone include increased relief of the vasomotor symptoms of menopause, i.e. hot flashes and night sweats; increased energy; a general feeling of well-being; and increased sexual desire.

While some evidence exists that supplementing with testosterone during menopause may increase sexual response in postmenopausal women, there are certain health risks and potential side effects associated with testosterone supplements in women (the female reproductive system naturally produces small amounts of testosterone.) One study presented in the Archives of Internal Medicine and based on more results from the Women’s Health Initiative shows that women, in the study, who used both estrogen and testosterone during menopause experience a 17.2 percent increase in breast cancer risk for each year of use. Women who used either estrogen alone or estrogen with progestins did not observe this increase.

Each women should weigh the potential risks against the benefits of hormone replacement therapy including the use of testosterone supplementation with her health care provider so that, together, you can reach an informed decision about what is right for you.

Two Points to Remember about Sexual Response and Menopause

Loss of sexual response or desire is not experienced by the majority of menopausal women.

Loss of sexual desire is not associated with decreased levels of estrogen.

Men Have Viagra... What About Us?

Will there ever be a Viagra for women? According to a New York Times report, a Viagra for women is already under development. However, this drug may take several years before it becomes available for women who suffer from menopausal decreased sexual desire.

If you experience decreased sexual desire after menopause, see your health care provider for information about your treatment options. Also, make sure to talk to your partner so he's aware of your feelings and sexual needs.

References:
Menopause, U.S. Department of Health, National Institute on Aging; accessed 07/28/06
Combined Estrogen and Testosterone Use and Risk of Breast Cancer in Postmenopausal Women, Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1483-1489, accessed 07/28/06
A Female Counterpart to Viagra, the New York Times, accessed 07/28/06