Female Sexual Dysfunction

Most women should expect fluctuations in her sexual response from time to time based on physical or emotional changes in her life. Sometimes, what is pleasurable during sex at one time may not be pleasurable at another time. Also, it is natural for sexual response to vary from woman to woman, so not to compare oneself to another. What is enjoyable for one woman may not be enjoyable for another woman. It is important for a woman (and her sexual partner) to understand that every woman is unique and her sexual response will be too. While not all sexual difficulties are necessarily a "dysfunction," if the sexual difficulties become an going problem or are causing distress, a woman should seek help.

Across all age groups, women want to enjoy their sexual relationships. Many women, however, experience sexual difficulties. According to a recent survey, more than 43% of American women reported that they experienced one or more sexual problems, including low sexual desire (33%), inability to reach orgasm (24%), and pain during intercourse (14%).

Types of Female Sexual Problems

While the reasons are varied, when a woman is experiencing an ongoing sexual problem, doctors use the term female sexual dysfunction to describe the condition. Generally, female sexual dysfunction disorders are classified into four categories:

  • Sexual desire disorders
  • Sexual arousal disorders
  • Orgasm disorders
  • Sexual pain disorders

Sexual desire disorders can vary in intensity. The hypoactive sexual desire disorder is an ongoing lack of sexual interest, also known as loss of libido. A woman with this condition is not interested in the sexual advances of her partner or feels less desire than she used to feel. A sexual aversion desire disorder is characterized by an ongoing fear or phobia of sexual activity with a sexual partner.

A sexual arousal disorder is an ongoing condition that occurs when a woman wants to engage in sex but does not feel the sexual response in her body. She is physically unable to enjoy sex because her body does not respond or remain sexually excited, even though she has the desire. Some possible causes are lack of vaginal lubrication or wetness and decreased sensitivity or blood flow to the vagina or clitoris.

An orgasmic disorder occurs when a woman either has an ongoing inability to reach an orgasm or she has difficulty in achieving an orgasm. For some women, it may be that their orgasms are not at intense as they once were. This inability occurs even if the woman has been sexually aroused and stimulated.

Sexual pain disorders are when a woman feels pain during or after sexual activity. Dyspareunia is an ongoing pain resulting from sexual intercourse. Vaginisumas is an ongoing spasm or tightening of the vaginal muscles that makes sexual intercourse difficult. Non-coital sexual pain is an ongoing pain in the genital area resulting from sexual activity other than vaginal penetration.

Causes of Female Sexual Dysfunction

So what causes all these problems with a woman's sex life? There is still much to understand about the female sexual response, and the interaction of physical and psychological stimulation. The causes of female sexual dysfunction is not completely understood, although there are some factors which seem to impede the sexual response cycle. Some factors are physical, some emotional, and some hormonal. Some sexual problems are due to illness, medicines, birth control pills, diseases (such as diabetes or high blood pressure), vaginal infections, or alcohol. Some sexual problems may be due to anxiety, depression, emotional problems, distractions, negative body perception, an unhappy relationship, or sexual abuse (now or in the past). Some sexual problems can even be from the everyday stresses of life. Sexual desire can be affected when a woman is tired from a busy day at work or taking care of young children all day long. Sometimes sexual desire is affected by a sexual routine that is boring. Sexual problems can also be due to pregnancy, breast-feeding, or menopause.

Seeking Treatment

If a woman is experiencing sexual problems that are not usual for her, she should first consider any changes in her daily life that may be causing a temporary situation. Sometimes it may be that she is going thru a stressful time, perhaps she has an illness, or it could even be a new medication. When the sexual problem is ongoing or causing her distress, a woman should never be afraid to talk to both her sexual partner and her doctor about her concerns. While it may be difficult and uncomfortable to bring up sexual issues in a conversation, most of the women who are willing to talk openly and seek help from a medical professional are able to find helpful treatment for their specific problem.


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