Steroid ointments can help soothe vulvar skin conditions, Morgan said. For vaginal dryness, women can try over-the-counter lubricants, or get a prescription for vaginal products that contain low doses of estrogen. He pointed to a prime example: The hormonal changes of menopause can cause dryness and irritation of the vagina or the vulvar skin - which can make sex painful.įortunately, there are good treatments, Morgan said. Daniel Morgan, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Michigan Medicine. Sometimes it's relatively straightforward, said Dr. But experts said menopause can affect a woman's sexual function in a number of ways. It's not clear what specific issues were the biggest obstacles. Meanwhile, 17% said other health conditions were the problem.
More than one-quarter of women said menopause symptoms were interfering with their sex lives - including one-third of those ages 50 to 64. A similar proportion, however, were limited by health issues. Overall, 43% said they were sexually active, be that intercourse, foreplay and caressing, or masturbation.
That's among the findings from the latest University of Michigan Poll on Healthy Aging, which surveyed more than 1,200 U.S. WEDNESDAY, (HealthDay News) - Many women remain sexually active into their 70s, but for others, menopause symptoms and chronic health issues get in the way.
