Sexuality in Menopausal Thai Women

Abstract

Objective : To evaluate the type and incidence of sexual problems and their relationship to vaginal problems and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal Thai women.
Design : Cross-sectional study.
Patients : 96 women, who were followed-up at the Menopause Clinic, Department of Obstetric Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital from September 2001 to August 2002.
Method : All women were interviewed about sexual problems. The questionnaires requested demographic data, reproductive history, history of hormonal replacement therapy, postmenopausal complaints of sexual experience and responsiveness.
Main outcome measurement : Types of sexual problems, the relationship between sexual and vaginal problems and the effect of HRT on sexuality.
Results : Common sexual problems encountered after menopause were loss of libido, orgasmic dysfunction and dyspareunia. Both sexual desire and sexual activity decreased in the premenopausal period. Forty-three percent of natural menopausal women had sexual activity less than once a month. Similar results were found in the surgical groups. Only 24% of the subjects occasionally reached orgasm. Vaginal problems were found to have a significant relationship to the loss of sexual desire, whereas the decrease in vaginal secretion had significant relationship to the lack of orgasm. About 45.2% of menopausal women with HRT did not have a significant change in libido and sexual response.
Conclusion : There is a decline in sexual response and activity in menopausal Thai women. Women with surgical menopause demonstrated a similar kind of sexual dysfunction as women with natural menopause. HRT cannot alleviate all the symptoms of sexual dysfunction but it is beneficial for vaginal complaints . Counseling and health education in which a positive attitude towards menopause is portrayed is important.