Patients and methods
This is a cross-sectional observational cohort study. The tool used was a self-report questionnaire. The number of usable questionnaires was 332. The participating women were 40 years and older, married, and eligible to fill out the questionnaire independently. They were divided into three groups: group I included 113 women aged 40–49 years, group II included 104 women aged 50–59 years, and group III included 115 women aged at least 60 years. Participants with medical conditions affecting female sexuality, for example neuropsychiatric diseases, were excluded from the study.
Results
Advance in age was associated with a decrease in the coital frequency and a decrease in the frequency of unprovoked sexual desire. Attaining lubrication becomes difficult as women age. The same applies to the ability to reach orgasm. Age was directly proportional to the occurrence of dyspareunia. Most women thought that their current sexuality was less than they had a decade ago. This applies to the delay in getting lubricated (82.2% of the participants), their need for sex (78.9%), and the intensity of orgasm (87.1%). According to the participating women, the frequency of sexual dysfunctions in their husbands increased with age (20.4% in the youngest group compared with 57.4% in the oldest group).
Conclusion
Age has a deleterious effect on the sexual activity of women, including the coital frequency, libido, the ability to reach orgasm, and its intensity. Dyspareunia becomes more common as women age. An increase in the frequency of husbands’ sexual dysfunction with aging was noted. We think that this dysfunction may be a contributing factor to the decrease in the coital frequency that our participants reported.
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