Does Type of Menopause Affect the Sex Lives of Women?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate factors affecting the sex lives of middle-aged women, and whether surgical menopause affects sexual function differently from natural menopause, by comparing effects on sexual performance of women with similar demographic features. Material/Methods:The study included 151 women with surgical menopause (SM), 357 women with natural menopause (NM), and 186 perimenopausal women (PM). The women were asked to complete a 6-question survey of sexual performance parameters. The relationship between the demographic and clinical features and hormone levels of the groups and sexual function parameters were evaluated. We also compared these parameters between the 3 study groups, and paired comparisons were made between the SM group and the NM group. Results:Demographic features, serum DHEA-S, total testosterone, and FSH levels were found to have statistically significant effects on sexual performance of women (p<0.05). The sexual function scores for the frequency of sexual desire, coitus, and orgasm were significantly higher in the PM group, whereas vaginal lubrication scores were lower compared to the NM and SM group (p<0.05). In paired comparison of NM and SM, the scores for the frequency of coitus, orgasm, and vaginal lubrication were significantly higher in the SM group, while sexual desire frequency scores were higher in the NM group (p<0.05). Conclusions:Our study approached to this topic in an extended manner and found significant relationships between several demographic-clinical and hormonal factors. SM was found to not affect female sexual performance, except for sexual desire, more than NM.

Postmenopausal women's usage of complementary and alternative medicine and its relationship to sexual function: A cross‐sectional study in southeastern Iran

“…During both menopause and premenopause, women experience several problems with their sexual life due to endocrinological and physiological changes, such as decreased sex hormones and urogenital atrophy. 38 According to the present results, considering different domains of sexual function, about half of participants had good desire, about half had good arousal, almost more than a third had good lubrication, almost more than a half had good orgasm, nearly zero percent had no pain, and about half were satisfied. Also, the highest mean score belonged to the dimension of ssatisfaction, which was unfavorable, and the lowest mean score belonged to the dimension of pain, which was almost favorable.…”

“…Therefore, the reasons for the difference between this study and the present study are differences in personal factors, interpersonal relationships, and social and family traditions. During both menopause and premenopause, women experience several problems with their sexual life due to endocrinological and physiological changes, such as decreased sex hormones and urogenital atrophy 38 …”

“…During both menopause and premenopause, women experience several problems with their sexual life due to endocrinological and physiological changes, such as decreased sex hormones and urogenital atrophy. 38 …”

The relationship of menopausal symptoms with the type of menopause and lipid levels

“…The findings of sexual function and menopausal type studies in the literature are also supported by our study. For example, in the study published by Bıldırcın et al in 2020 [20], it was shown that there was no significant difference regarding sexual function in patients with surgical menopause compared to patients with natural menopause. This finding corresponds to the result of our study.…”