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What is menopause? is your final period

As you approach menopause, your reproductive hormones (e.g. oestrogen) drop. Most women reach menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. In United States, the average age to reach menopause is 51 to 52.

How does menopause affect your sex life? and sexual experience.

You may be less interested in sex due to symptoms such as hot flushes, night sweats, low energy levels, problems and low mood. A drop in oestrogen levels causes the walls of the vagina to be thinner and drier, which may cause vaginal irritation and pain during sex. wee leakage), which can reduce sexual desire.

Physical changes and lower sexual desire can make it harder to have an orgasm and sexual experiences may feel less pleasurable. You might feel differently about your body around the time of menopause. This may be due to: social attitudes – modern society rarely portrays older women as sexual or desirable, which can affect the way women feel about themselves around their belly (abdomen) at this stage of life, which may make them feel less sexually attractive.

Other factors can affect your sexual desire at this stage of life.

For example: sexual problems (e.g. partner’s erection issues). Other factors may include:

  • caring for elderly parents vaginal moisturisers lubricants or oestrogen to improve vaginal dryness

Some women become very distressed about their loss of sexual desire, which may be a condition called hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).

Testosterone therapy may help

This therapy should be supervised by your doctor

A pelvic floor physiotherapist can teach you pelvic floor muscle exercises and show you techniques to help reduce pain. There are practical things you can do to help maintain or improve your sex life after menopause.

For example, if you have a partner: consider relationship counselling if needed. As you age, your fertility declines. But it’s still possible to get pregnant in your late 40s or early 50s if you’re still having periods.

For at least 2 years after your final period. If you are 50 or older and don’t want to get pregnant, you should use contraception for at least one year after your final period.

You can talk to your doctor about different contraception options

Note that MHT is used to manage menopausal symptoms, it’s not a contraceptive.

Talk to your doctor if menopausal symptoms affect your daily life

For example: if you are experience anxiety, depression or big mood swings.

Menopause Changes around the time of menopause can affect your sex drive (libido) Physical changes with menopause Menopause symptoms sleep Vaginal changes Bladder and pelvic floor changes Changes to bladder tissues and pelvic floor muscles can cause continence problems Sexual experience Body image and menopause weight gain – many women gain weight Life stages poor health anxiety and depression medicines and their side effects relationship issues loss of a partner through death, separation or divorce work and financial pressures Managing low sexual desire If you’re concerned about how menopause is affecting your sexual desire, talk to your doctor.

They may suggest menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) Testosterone therapy Pelvic floor physiotherapy Sometimes pelvic floor muscles can tighten or lose tone at menopause. This can cause painful sex, aching, incontinence or prolapse (i.e.

Other practical ideas talk to them about your symptoms and how they affect you try different ways to be intimate, like spending time together doing things you both enjoy Contraception If you’re under 50 and don’t want to get pregnant, you should use contraception When to see your doctor if symptoms affect your sex life if sex is painful if you have urinary or vaginal problems if you are distressed about your loss of sex drive More information For more detailed information, related resources, articles and podcasts, visit Jean Hailes for Women’s Health Where to get help GP (doctor) Gynaecologist A pelvic floor physiotherapist A relationships counsellor A local family planning clinic Sexual Health Michigan Jean Hailes for Women’s Health .

Key Points

  • There are practical things you can do to help maintain or improve your sex life after menopause
  • Note that MHT is used to manage menopausal symptoms, it’s not a contraceptive
  • Talk to your doctor if menopausal symptoms affect your daily life
  • This can cause painful sex, aching, incontinence or prolapse (i.e