Two thirds of British women are optimistic about sex during the menopause, research finds
Research shows that two-thirds of British women are optimistic about sex during the menopause.
A survey of almost 1,500 women of all ages has shown how sex during – and after – menopause is experienced differently in different countries.
Researchers asked women in Britain, the US, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden whether they thought it was ‘true or false’ that women don’t have sex during menopause.
The results show that British women are the most positive, with 66 percent saying the statement is false, compared to 61 percent in the US and 48 percent of European women.
The survey was conducted by health website Treated, and the results were discussed on the Let’s Talk Menopause podcast. Dr. Annice Mukherjee, a hormone expert, explained that sex is a “very individual thing,” so the idea that women generally don’t have sex during or after menopause isn’t necessarily true.
She said: ‘I’m a doctor who asks people about sex all the time – that’s been my job for the last 20 to 30 years – so I hear all kinds of things. I’ve seen many older couples – post-menopausal women and their partners – who have brilliant sex lives.
Two-thirds of British women are optimistic about sex during menopause, research shows (Stock Image)
A study of almost 1,500 women of all ages has shown how sex during – and after – menopause is experienced differently in different countries
‘And I see younger adults – men and women – who struggle with their sex drive and are full of hormones. So it’s difficult to say that menopause is the cause of sexual problems, when there are a lot of other factors that can influence our sex life.’
The research also found that 75 percent of British women believed their sex drive would be much lower after menopause.
Studies suggest that while a decline in libido won’t affect everyone going through menopause in the same way, sexual desire tends to decrease during late menopause and the early stages of post-menopause.
Dr. Daniel Atkinson, clinical lead for the Treated website, added: ‘It’s all about whether patients are happy with that or not.
‘Some people don’t feel like having sex after menopause and really want to have sex.
‘And there are others who don’t feel like having sex and it’s not a problem for them. It’s about examining whether that is a problem for you or not.’
Other findings from the survey show that 31 percent of British women feel they do not receive enough support to understand and cope with menopause.
Meanwhile, more British women linked mental health problems such as depression to menopause, compared to those in the US and Europe.
Previous research has found that nearly half of women say they stopped having sex during menopause, while 65 percent say menopause has affected their marriage.