Healthyway: Have a Low Sex Drive? Here Is What Women Need to Know
If you have a low sex drive you are not alone. According to an article by Jeanne Sager on Healthyway.com, as many as 27 percent of pre-menopausal women have low desire for sex and that number doubles for menopausal women. But don’t worry if you fit these statistics because it is completely normal for women.
Melissa Juliano, DO, director of women’s health at OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital broke down for Sager the three categories of low sex drive in women:
- Hypoactive Sexual Desire Dysfunction (HSDD): “This is a persistent or recurrent deficiency or absence of sexual/erotic thoughts or fantasies and desire for sexual activity,” Juliano said.
- Female Sexual Arousal Dysfunction (FSAD): Unlike HSDD, FSAD is characterized by persistent or recurrent inability to maintain or an adequate genital response, Juliano told Sager.
- Female Orgasmic Dysfunction (FOD): Juliano described this as “A significant delay, change in frequency, or absence of orgasm or intensity of orgasmic sensation.”
According to Juliano, there are several causes that contribute to a low sex drive including:
- Medications such as birth control pills
- Pain from penetration during intercourse
- Your upbringing such as cultural norms and expectations
What can you do about your low libido? Juliano told Sager, “For women who are experiencing painful sex that’s putting a damper on their sex drive, getting to the root cause of the pain is important.” Consult your OB/GYN about your pain and possible solutions. Don’t have an OB/GYN? Click here to find a women’s health physician near you.
Juliano also suggested looking into a medication called flibanserin, “An FDA-approved drug created specifically to treat low sex drive in women has shown promise in increasing ‘satisfying sexual events per month and increased daily desire.’” Please consult your OBGYN to see if this is a correct option for you.
Check out the full article on Healthyway.com
