Did you know that as many as 13.9 million women 18 and older have experienced vaginal dryness?
According to a Menopause Matters Survey, vaginal dryness can affect woman of all age ranges. It is very common after menopause, affecting over half of post-menopausal women aged 51-60.
However, dryness can start well before menopause, in perimenopause.
Many women may experience vaginal dryness during sex because they are not sexually aroused; most likely due to insufficient foreplay or psychological reasons such as stress (Women's Health Concern).
Although the primary cause is the absence of estrogen, up to 50 percent of women are having pain with intercourse five years into menopause.
But, rest assured, there are a variety of lubricants that can help get your love life back on track.
Dr. Barb DePree, MD, has been a women's health provider for more than 20 years. In this segment of HER Radio, Dr. DePree explains the many causes of vaginal dryness, as well as your treatment options.
Dr. Barb DePree, M.D., has been a women's health provider for more than 20 years, and a menopause care specialist for the past seven. She was recently named the 2013 Certified Menopause Practitioner of the Year by the North American Menopause Society for "exceptional contributions" to menopause care. In particular, the award recognized the outreach, communication and the education that she did through MiddlesexMD and her work as director of the Women's Midlife Services at Holland Hospital, Holland, Mich.