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Poll Reveals More Than Half of Menopausal Women Settle for Less Sex...

Saturday, August 18, 2007 General News
ATLANTA, Aug. 17 More than half of U.S. women ages 35 andover are having less sex during menopause than before menopause. According tothe recent Sex & Menopause Survey, commissioned by the Red Hot Mamas(R), aleading menopause patient organization, sponsored by Duramed Pharmaceuticals,Inc., and conducted by Harris Interactive(R), 54 percent of those polledreported a decrease in the frequency of sex after entering menopause.

The survey also revealed that more than three-quarters (76%) of womensurveyed in committed or long-term relationships say that sex is at leastsomewhat an important part of that relationship yet less than half of thosesurveyed (45%) say they are satisfied with the amount of sex they have.

"Women today, specifically the boomer generation currently entering orexperiencing menopause, are much more open about their needs and seekinformation more than previous generations, so it's surprising to me that somany women would settle for a less than satisfying sex life as a result ofmenopausal symptoms," said Karen Giblin, founder of the Red Hot MamasMenopause Management Educational Programs.

Not every woman's menopause is the same. Some women may experiencevasomotor symptoms such as hot flashes or night sweats and others may alsoexperience vaginal atrophy (vaginal narrowing or shrinkage) which can causevaginal dryness and painful sex. If left untreated over time, women couldexperience vaginal atrophy, which can lead to sexual dysfunction and/orphysically uncomfortable sexual experiences. Despite the possibility ofvaginal atrophy and its symptoms, 47 percent of women surveyed reported theyare not at all knowledgeable about the condition as a symptom of menopausewhile the majority of all women reported being at least somewhat knowledgeableabout the more commonly talked about symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes(95%) and night sweats (91%).

The survey also revealed that women who experienced vaginal atrophy aremore likely to also report a decrease in frequency of sex:

Approximately half (51%) of those who reported experiencing symptoms ofmenopause reported that they experienced vaginal dryness. Of those, 79percent reported the symptom as having an effect on their sex lives.

"If left untreated, over time, women will experience changes such asvaginal atrophy and dryness that can make physical intimacy uncomfortable,even painful. But they do not need to give up on sex altogether," statedMurray A. Freedman, M.D., Augusta GYN, P.C., Augusta, GA. "Sadly, most womenare unaware that these conditions are treatable. Effective therapies, whichrange from over-the-counter lubricants to FDA approved hormone therapy, arereadily available. Equally important is the effect of continued sexualactivity. While it may seem like reverse logic, having intercourse can helpease the severity of vaginal atrophy."

That is good news for the partners of those in a relationship. More thanone-third (36%) of those surveyed in a committed relationship who reported adecrease in the frequency of sexual relations said that their partners areupset with the decrease in frequency. Sixty percent of those polled reportedopenly discussing the symptoms of menopause with their partners and 67 percentsay their partners understand about the impact of menopause on their lives.That, however, is not the case with women who reported a decrease in sexualactivity. Less then half (46%) have discussed the decrease in frequency ofsex with anyone, including their partner.

The survey results also show some good news; women are seeking moreinformation on menopause. Eighty-four percent of those polled use someresource - healthcare professionals, media and the internet - to obtaininformation on menopause, its symptoms and treatment options. Whether theyare getting the right information is another story. "Given that less thanhalf of those
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