What are the Causes of Female Sexual Dysfunction?
Traumatic injury to the genitals or pelvic region, surgical intervention, extensive bike riding, underlying medical conditions, hormonal imbalance, and medications can cause sexual dysfunction.
The causes of female sexual dysfunction are poorly defined. This is perhaps because sexual intercourse or stimulation is an act that involves many systems to function in harmony to reach the stage of orgasm. Sometimes there may be multiple factors leading to the dysfunction.
The causes of female sexual dysfunction are listed below:
Medical causes - These include
- Spinal cord injury. Spinal cord injury can cause nerve damage or paralysis. Women with spinal cord injury have significantly more difficulty achieving orgasm than able-bodied women.
- Bicycle riding. Bicycle riding on long narrow seats is associated with perineal pressure and reduced vaginal and clitoral blood flow and can rarely cause sexual dysfunction.
- Surgery. Surgery of or near the reproductive system, urinary system or abdomen may damage nerves and lead to sexual dysfunction.
- Urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence can cause embarrassment and avoidance of sex.
- Vaginal atrophy. Vaginal atrophy can cause discomfort during intercourse.
- Systemic diseases like hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes and heart disease can also cause sexual dysfunction.
Hormonal/Endocrine causes - Female sexual dysfunction due to hormonal problems can lead to decreased desire and libido, vaginal dryness and lack of sexual arousal.
Estrogen, a primarily female hormone, is associated with sexual desire. Testosterone, a primarily male sex hormone, plays a role in women's sexual development and function, including sensitivity of the breasts and clitoris. Some women experience diminished sexual desire, absence of sexual fantasies, and impaired sensitivity following menopause or hysterectomy or due to aging as a result of reduced estrogen.
Hormonal abnormalities may arise due to-
- Dysfunction of the hypothalamic/pituitary axis
- Surgical or medical castration
- Natural menopause- After menopause many women feel less sexual desire, have vaginal dryness or have pain during sex.
- Premature ovarian failure
- Pregnancy- the sexual desire may be less during pregnancy, right after childbirth or while breast-feeding.
Psychogenic causes - These include
- Emotional and relationship issues
- Self-esteem
- Negative body perception
- Inability to communicate one’s sexual needs with one’s partner
- Depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety disorder
- Stress- Stress can affect a person’s ability to have sex. Being tired from a busy job or caring for young children may make the person feel less desire to have sex.
Other causes - Other causes include:
- Excessive alcohol intake and smoking
- Medications- Certain birth control pills can lead to decreased libido. Antidepressants and benzodiazepines used to treat depression and anxiety are associated with loss of libido and inability to achieve orgasm.
Dissatisfaction theory -
In some instances a woman's sexual dysfunction is due to inadequate genital stimulation.
Poor communication between partners may result in men not knowing how to stimulate a woman so that she becomes aroused. This leads to unsatisfactory sex and can cause arousal problems, lack of sexual interest, depression, and aversion to sex.
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Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2021. What are the Causes of Female Sexual Dysfunction?. Medindia, viewed May 27, 2022, https://www.medindia.net/patients/patientinfo/what-are-the-causes-of-female-sexual-dysfunction.htm.
Do you wish to consult an expert for your problem? Ask your question

37 years experience
Abhisarika Counseling Center, Motinagar
Sex is enjoyable expression of love to your lover and plays an important role in strengthening your relationship.
what can cause constant and severe bleeding of blood out from female Virgina
dear this is very serious, contact your gyana ASAP,
Well it's about time that they have something for women, when I told my doctor about my problem, I was told that they could not help, because there was nothing that could be done about it, I would just have to learn to live with it and my doctor at that time was a female. I look forward to trying this new durg.
Even our collegues in modern medicine are not aware of this speciality known as SEXUAL MEDICINE. You should consult a qualified Consultant in Sexual Medicine
Contact me for more information or guidance
Wish you Good Reproductive and Sexual Health
With Warm Regards,
Dr. A CHAKRAVARTHY MBBS; MBA; [MHSc Reproductive and Sexual Medicine]
Surrounded by unrealistic portrayals of female sexuality in the media, women often conclude that they are abnormal when they are, in fact, facing a very normal dilemma with sex and their relationships. Instead of reassuring women, sex information today often implies that woman's sexual experiences are dysfunctional. It is also implied that clitoral stimulation solves any problem with orgasm but the truth is that some completely normal women never orgasm with a partner by any means.
Dear Jehnavi,
Female Sexual could be related mostly with the partner's sexual skills and awaareness. Females are conidered as MOON, which is useful at night. Males do not consider female's sexul feelings.
Contact me for more information or guidance
Wish you Good Reproductive and Sexual Health
With Warm Regards,
Dr. A CHAKRAVARTHY MBBS; MBA; MHSc Reproductive and Sexual Medicine
well said Dr. chakravarthy.. they both should move in passion then itself they make a memorable love moment in their sexual life..
what medicine should I buy to get sexual arousal for my wife
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