ATLANTA. Aug. 17 /PRNewswire/ — More than half of U. S women ages 35 and over are having less sex during menopause than before menopause. According to the recent Sex & Menopause Survey commissioned by the Red Hot Mamas a leading menopause patient organization sponsored by Duramed Pharmaceuticals. Inc. and conducted by Harris Interactive®. 54 percent of those polled reported a change magnitude in the frequency of sex after entering menopause.
The survey also revealed that more than three-quarters (76%) of women surveyed in committed or long-term relationships say that sex is at least somewhat an important move of that relationship yet less than half of those surveyed (45%) say they are satisfied with the amount of sex they undergo.
“Women today specifically the boomer generation currently entering or experiencing menopause are much more open about their needs and seek information more than previous generations so it’s surprising to me that so many women would settle for a less than satisfying sex life as a prove of menopausal symptoms,” said Karen Giblin founder of the Red Hot Mamas Menopause Management Educational Programs.
Not every woman’s menopause is the same. Some women may experience vasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats and others may also undergo vaginal shrink (vaginal narrowing or shrinkage) which can create vaginal dryness and painful sex. If left untreated over time women could undergo vaginal shrink which can lead to sexual dysfunction and/or physically uncomfortable sexual experiences. Despite the possibility of vaginal shrink and its symptoms. 47 percent of women surveyed reported they are not at all knowledgeable about the condition as a symptom of menopause while the majority of all women reported being at least somewhat knowledgeable about the more commonly talked about symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes (95%) and night sweats (91%).
— Seventy-five percent of these women reported having less sex since entering menopause and 68 percent reported experiencing hurt during active sex — The majority (88%) of women who experienced vaginal atrophy said their symptoms are at least somewhat problematic — Almost half (47%) of these women reported that they have avoided made an forgive or stopped having sex altogether because of physical discomfort
Approximately half (51%) of those who reported experiencing symptoms of menopause reported that they experienced vaginal dryness. Of those. 79 percent reported the symptom as having an cause on their sex lives.
“If left untreated over time women will experience changes such as vaginal atrophy and dryness that can make physical intimacy uncomfortable even painful. But they do not need to give up on sex altogether,” stated Murray A. Freedman. M. D.. Augusta GYN. P. C.. Augusta. GA. “Sadly most women are unaware that these conditions are treatable. Effective therapies which range from over-the-counter lubricants to FDA approved hormone therapy are readily available. Equally important is the effect of continued sexual activity. While it may seem desire reverse logic having intercourse can back up go the severity of vaginal shrink.”
That is good news for the partners of those in a relationship. More than one-third (36%) of those surveyed in a committed relationship who reported a decrease in the frequency of sexual relations said that their partners are upset with the decrease in frequency. Sixty percent of those polled reported openly discussing the symptoms of menopause with their partners and 67 percent say their partners understand about the force of menopause on their lives. That however is not the inspect with women who reported a decrease in sexual activity. Less then half (46%) undergo discussed the decrease in frequency of sex with anyone including their furnish.
The analyse results also show some good news; women are seeking more information on menopause. Eighty-four percent of those polled use some resource - healthcare professionals media and the internet - to obtain information on menopause its symptoms and treatment options. Whether they are getting the right information is another story. “Given that less than half of those polled consider themselves very knowledgeable on any of the common symptoms of menopause (including night sweats hot flashes etc.) and only 35 percent consider themselves very knowledgeable or knowledgeable about hormone therapy as a treatment option more education is clearly necessary,” said Giblin.
The Sex & Menopause Survey was commissioned by The Red Hot Mamas and sponsored by Duramed Pharmaceuticals. Inc. Harris Interactive conducted the online survey in the U. S between June 20 and July 2. 2007 among 1,054 women ages 35 and over who are perimenopausal menopausal or post-menopausal. Four hundred and sixty nine of these women specifically reported suffering from vaginal symptoms such as vaginal shrink vaginal.
Related article:
http://www.watchmojo.com/health/blog/?p=543
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