Facts to Know

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1. Sexual problems occur in 43 percent of women in the United States, according to a study published in 1999 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

2. A lack of desire is the most common sexual problem in women The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals reports that in the National Health and Social Life Survey, 33 percent of women lacked interest in sex for at least a few months in the previous year.

3. About 15 percent of postmenopausal women have decreases in sexual desire, according to The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.

4. Sexual arousal disorder is the second most common sexual problem among women, affecting an estimated 15 to 20 percent of women.

5. About 10 percent of women never attain orgasm, regardless of the stimulation or situation, and about half of women regularly have an orgasm during intercourse, according to the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy.

6. Pain during or after intercourse occurs in nearly two out of three women at some time during their lives, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

7. Low estrogen levels can cause vaginal dryness, thinning of vaginal tissues, reduced blood flow to genital areas and reduced vaginal sensitivity that can contribute to arousal and, in turn, orgasm problems. Low androgen levels may contribute to desire problems. Hormone therapy often can help.

8. The most common cause of pain during sex is inadequate vaginal lubrication, which can occur from a lack of arousal, medications or hormonal changes.

9. It is common for women who breast-feed to notice a lack of vaginal lubrication and sexual interest caused by an elevation of the hormone prolactin, which is stimulated by lactation.

10. Sexual disorders can have medical causes, psychological causes or both.