Sex and menopause: truths and myths

The word “menopause” scares, they don’t like to talk about it. But if you want this inevitable period not only not to worsen, but also to improve the quality of your life, you need to be ready for it. Endocrinologists, gerontologists and gynecologists from different countries talked about what you should know about menopause and what you should not be afraid of.

True

1. Sex life during menopause improves a woman’s health

Climax sex is not a hindrance. This rule should not be forgotten. All the experts of the Congress agreed: the best remedy for menopause is a regular sexual life. Sex has an excellent effect on blood circulation, as well as on the psychological state of a woman. Even if during menopause you have a whole bunch of diseases, you should not give up your sexual life, this will negatively affect your libido and your general physical condition.

In addition, menopause is almost a second youth. Judge for yourself: the children have grown up, sexual sensations have remained as vivid, there is no danger of becoming pregnant, migraines and pain associated with PMS are disappearing. It would seem, when else to enjoy life, if not now? But the mass of women perceive this period as withering and the end of everything – youth, sex, love.

What actually happens to the female body during menopause? Estrogen levels drop more than testosterone levels. Namely, testosterone is responsible for sexual activity. And it turns out that testosterone does not disappear anywhere and does not fall. So the desire doesn’t go away. Women’s physiology is such that it is after menopause that you want sex even more.

2. The ability to experience orgasm does not disappear

“There is an opinion that sex is only for the beautiful and young. This is not so, says gerontopsychologist Voight Genotten, “You can be 90 years old, you can have cancer, you can be a wheelchair user, but you can love as much as in your youth. And love sex as well.

Many young people have sex much less often than older people. I know this from my interns, they don’t have time for their personal lives – exams, sessions, practice. We no longer use the word “old”, now doctors say “middle young”. If you think that sex in old age is soft and calm, you are wrong too.

Since estrogen levels decrease in women with the advent of menopause, this affects the lubrication – it becomes less. Therefore, stimulation and sex itself take more time than in youth, and foreplay becomes more important for a woman. But the ability to orgasm does not decrease with age. Even at the age of 85, a woman can experience an orgasm, including multiple ones.

Try to have sex regularly, at least twice a month, and masturbate too. In principle, I am in favor of doctors recommending masturbation to older patients.

70% of women over 65 have at least one chronic disease. So you are taking at least one medication. And some of them cause sexual dysfunction. But it will not change if a woman has a permanent partner and a personal life.

Recent studies have proven: sex affects the life expectancy of both men and women, prevents the extinction of the brain. You may not have an orgasm, but sex must be present in your life. If your hormone levels have affected your libido, taking estrogen will help bring back the desire.

3. Sex life improves during menopause

“The unpleasant symptoms of menopause are perfectly treated with hormone therapy. Yes, sometimes women come to me with complaints of decreased libido,” says Nick Panay, chairman of the British Menopause Society, consultant gynecologist at the Royal London Hospital. – I advise all gynecologists: at the first consultation, let the woman talk about her sexuality.

In addition to hormone therapy, women often need to train their intimate muscles. Atrophy or prolapse of the pelvic organs should not be allowed. Physiological inconvenience will help to overcome modern pharmacological agents. For example, lubricating creams.

Mythology

Myth 1. Menopause is always accompanied by poor health and hot flashes.

“Sweating and hot flashes are best treated with hormonal therapy,” continues Professor Nick Panay. – In my opinion, progesterone and estrogen are the best combination and the best therapy. The dosage of hormones has been greatly reduced, and even low doses have a protective effect and increase bone density.

I am often asked if hormone therapy is harmful. No, I prescribed these drugs to my wife.

So I advise all women: if you want to prolong youth, maintain appearance and sexual activity, go to the doctor and consult about taking hormones.

In Russia today there are 4 dosage forms of hormones, which allows you to take minimal doses. The average dose is not suitable for everyone, and the wider the range of hormones, the better for women – you can choose an individual treatment for each. In this sense, Russia today is ahead of the rest.”

Myth 2. Sex during menopause is not fun.

Studies have shown that sexuality and libido are not associated with estrogen levels, which drop significantly during menopause. In addition, at least 50% of the women who took part in the survey showed that they did not notice a decrease in interest in sex.

A significant decrease in libido was noted by less than 20% of those surveyed. However, even this 20% may just be the result of prejudices and expectations. Therefore, do not be surprised if during menopause your personal life becomes not only no worse, but even richer than before.

Myth 3. After menopause, the whole body wilts.

Menopause is a natural change in your body, a restructuring of the hormonal background, which occurs with age in men too. During this period, the level of progesterone and estrogen hormones, which are very important for the female body, drops.

They not only ensure the preservation of pregnancy, but also affect the condition of our skin, hair, and metabolic processes. During this period, a woman can gain weight. But if you are ready for these changes, they will not affect the quality of your life.

What do we have to do? Eat right, maintain a healthy lifestyle, lead an active life (including sexual life), stop smoking and alcohol, take hormones if necessary. Then you will keep your beauty and health for many years to come. After all, the symptoms of menopause can last not 3-5 years, as doctors previously thought, but up to 10 years.

“Russian women are more focused on external beauty, and they are less concerned about body and health issues,” says an employee of the Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology. Kulakova, leading specialist in the field of gynecological endocrinology Svetlana Yureneva. – I would like Russian women not to forget that health during this period is very important.

After all, our body loses the protective effect of estrogen and progesterone. The risk of developing diabetes mellitus increases, blood vessels lose their elasticity, bone tissue weakens. But if you maintain a healthy lifestyle, you will prolong your youth and avoid unpleasant symptoms.

Myth 4. During menopause, all women experience hot flashes and become hysterical.

For some women, menopause can be a very calm period, while others really experience irritability. There are several factors that determine the emotional state during menopause:

• personal health and reproductive history;
• healthy lifestyle of maternal relatives;
• eating habits;
• smoking, drinking alcohol;
• whether a woman is ready to resort to hormone replacement therapy.

Myth 5: All menopausal women should be treated with estrogen replacement therapy.

“Firstly, menopause is a natural process, not a disease, so there is no need to use the term “treatment”. Second, different women need different hormones, and some definitely don’t need extra estrogen.

Perhaps, on the contrary, they need testosterone. There are also cases in which hormonal therapy simply does not have any effect on the course of menopause, ”says Marina Travina, head of the Department of the Clinical Diagnostic Center of the National Center for Healthcare of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, mammologist.

Myth 6. Hormone therapy increases the risk of cancer.

Fortunately, this is not true. The risk of developing breast cancer has not been confirmed by statistics. The main risk factors for oncology at this age are body mass index (obesity) and smoking.

Myth 7. Protection is no longer necessary.

This is not entirely true. With the onset of menopause, the probability of fertilization is significantly reduced, but there is no complete guarantee not to become pregnant. The use of contraceptives remains relevant for at least two years after the termination of the cycle, since at this time the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy still remains.

The best way to protect yourself during this period is to use condoms. The use of hormonal contraceptives is possible only after consultation with a specialist.

And do not forget that even in adulthood you can – and should – live a full life and enjoy it.