Relationship of sexuality with psychological and hormonal features in the menopausal period

Women may experience some mental and sexual problems between the ages of 40 years and 60 years due to serious changes in the hormonal system. The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between the changes in sex hormones, sexual behaviours, depression and anxiety levels of women who were in either the premenopausal, perimenopausal or postmenopausal period. The subjects of this cross-sectional study consisted of 324 women who attended the Gynaecology and Obstetrics Out-Patient Ward of Celal Bayar University Hospital. Of this group, 37.0% (n = 124) were postmenopausal, 27.2% (n = 84) perimenopausal and 35.8% (n = 116) premenopausal. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State and Trait Anxiety Inventories (STAI-I and II) and a questionnaire on sexual behaviour which was prepared for this study by the authors, were applied to all of the attendees and serum sex hormone levels were analyzed. Beck Depression Anxiety, STAI-I and STAI-II scores and sexual behaviours did not show any statistically significant difference among these three groups. The frequency of sexual intercourse was lower in women with high BDI scores. The rate of painful intercourse was higher in women with high STAI-I scores. The frequency of sexual intercourse, sexual desire and orgasm decreased and painful intercourse increased in women with high STAI-II scores. The frequency of sexual intercourse decreased significantly as the age or follicle stimulating hormone level of women increased. These findings have revealed that the menopausal state did not affect the sexual behaviour, and psychological state of women between the ages of 40 and 60 years, but the increase in anxiety and depression scores affected the sexual life in a negative manner.