Do perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms affect the marital relationship?

Abstract

This study investigated whether women’s perimenopausal/menopausal symptoms had negative effects on marital or long-term relationships, an aspect underrepresented in the literature. A questionnaire distributed to 110 convenience-sampled women, ages 45-60 years and prescreened for inclusion by private practitioners or the author’s colleagues, yielded a 60% return. Symptoms correlated positively with participants’ feelings about the relationship and sexual intimacy with their partner (.353–.783, p = 0.01, and 272–.371, p = 0.05, respectively). Divorced women did not experience the same loss of sexual desire or feel anger or resentment toward their partners as did married women. Clinicians should ask women about perimenopausal/menopausal symptoms, loss of libido, and the marital relationship during annual visits. Education related to this period of life may provide a better understanding to women and the partner may be included in education, as many men do not understand the changes associated with perimenopause and menopause.