Why Sex Often Takes a Back Seat During Menopause — And It's Not Just Hormones

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that sex has become somehow... different? Not because you fell out of love with your partner, but simply because your body seems to live its own life. If so, you are not alone. A new study involving 539 women over 35 showed that problems with sexual function occur at all stages of menopause, and for most respondents — quite often.

What Was Measured

The scientists divided the participants into three groups: premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal. They asked about menopause symptoms, sexual function, and general psychological well-being. Sexual function was assessed using a special questionnaire with a threshold value: if the total score is below a certain mark, a decrease can be suspected. So, the average scores were below this threshold in all three groups. Moreover, 63.4% of women scored low enough to indicate possible problems in the sexual sphere.

Perimenopause — The Hottest Point

It would seem that the further along, the harder it gets. But no. The highest level of symptoms and the lowest psychological well-being were found in perimenopausal women — that is, in the transition period. However, the overall sexual function score did not differ significantly between stages. But after menopause, women reported noticeably lower sexual desire and lubrication compared to those who had not yet entered menopause.

What Hits Sex the Hardest

The most powerful factor associated with sexual function was urogenital symptoms — dryness, discomfort, bladder problems. These showed the strongest connection with sexual function across all its components. This is an important point: often women are embarrassed to talk about such symptoms, attribute them to age, and endure them. But these symptoms can seriously affect intimate life.

Caution with Conclusions

The study was an online survey, not a rigorous clinical experiment. The scientists themselves write: differences between stages in individual components of sexual function should be interpreted with caution. This does not mean that menopause "harms" sex — rather, it is associated with changes that manifest differently in many women. Some do not notice any changes at all, while others face difficulties. But the overall picture is this: a decrease in sexual function is a common story at all stages, and it should not be ignored.

What to Do About It

If you feel that sex has stopped bringing joy, discomfort has appeared, or desire has disappeared — this is not a sentence and not a "shameful topic." The scientists conclude: sexual health and menopause symptoms need to be actively discussed with a specialist, not put off indefinitely. Tomorrow you can start with something simple: honestly answer yourself whether anything has changed in your intimate life over the past year. And if so — talk about it with a doctor who deals with menopause. Do not suffer in silence and do not think that "this is how it should be." This is not about age, but about quality of life.