How menopausal body changes affect sexual fulfilment

IT is an established fact that sexual desire wanes with age in both men and women. However, it’s more common with women. This is majorly due to the inevitable body changes that women experience as they reach menopause. These changes affect the sexual desire of most women, hence becomes a threat to their marriage.

These changes are in the following areas-

• Blood flow to the genitals decreases, causing the labia, clitoris, and upper vagina to swell.
• Vaginal lining becomes dry, reducing lubrication as a result of reduction in estogen level. This makes penetration very painful for her.
• Vagina expansion rate decreases, thus the inner and outer labia shrinks instead of pulling apart, obstructing access to the vaginal opening.
• Increased body heat leading to excessive sweating.

The implications for sexuality of the women

All of this may mean some reduction in the sensations and pleasure you experience during lovemaking. It also can affect orgasm, which may be less intense, take longer to achieve, or rarely happen at all.These changes impact negatively on the sexual arousal for her. That is, her being physically prepared for sexual act is affected, thus leading to loss of sexual desire in the long run. This is because when there is a delayed arousal, orgasm becomes difficult for her to achieve, so sexual fulfilment is absent. With no sexual fulfilment, she doesn’t see the need to engage in sex. Remember that lack of sexual fulfilment is a factor in her loss of desire for sex. Sexual decreased response and pleasure occur because the clitoris is likely to be less sensitive than in earlier years, possibly due to reduced estrogen levels and changes in the vascular and nervous systems.

With these implications for her, the decline in sexual act in the marriage becomes inevitable. This is not just a source of concern to her, but also to her husband, whose sexual desire is not as low as her own. These concerns however vary with individuals. But they are a reality that can not be ignored or explained or wished away. They have become issues of marital discord, leading in some cases, to family disintegration.

The situation of these menopausal changes has been fingered as a source of marital infidelity among husbands seeking for sexual fulfilment which may have become elusive in the marriage.

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What are the possible solutions

The most needed solution is the Understanding of couples. Husbands and wives have to come to terms with the menopausal realities and take steps to make the best of the situation. Husbands should bear with the wives and work around whatever will give them sexual fulfilment. They must realize and agree that sex at the menopausal state cannot be business as usual.

The husbands will have to be more caring to help increase the sexual desire of the wives, in order to achieve greater sexual arousal  Being caring helps the wives to be turned on for sex.Studies also exist showing that women’s happiness with their overall relationship with their partner had an important effect on desire for sex.

The wives must also make conscious efforts to respond to advances from their husbands as a way of managing the situation.They should not allow the fears of pains due to dryness of the vagina and lack of orgasm to scare them away from sexual activity with the husbands. This will go a long way to manage the situation.

Conclusively, menopausal challenges to sexual fulfilment are not insurmountable. What is required is the will power of each couple to overcome it. Where there is a will, there will always be a way.

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