Postmenopausal Sexuality in Thai Women*

Abstract

We evaluate sexuality in 100 natural menopausal women as pertains to hormones, symptoms related to intercourse, and marital relationship with sexual desire, orgasm and coital frequency. The mean age was 56.8 years while menopausal age was 50.3 years. The postmenopausal syndrome presented 55.0% occurring 1 to 7 years after menopause (mean 3.4 years). The common sexual problems after menopause were loss of libido, orgasmic dysfunction, and dyspareunia. Both sexual desire and activity decreased when compared with premenopausal period. Ninety percent of the subjects had sexual desire less than once a month. Only 14% of the subjects occasionally reached orgasm while the other 86% never had orgasm after menopause. The levels of FSH, LH, estradiol and testosterone were also reported. There was no correlation of hormone estradiol and testosterone, symptoms related to intercourse and marital relationship with sexual desire, orgasm, or coital frequency.