Intimacy Is Important in Sex for Mature Women: Holly Thomas, University of Pittsburgh

At The North American Menopause Society 27th Annual meeting (NAMS), Holly Thomas, MD, MS, University of Pittsburgh, discussed her program of research mainly focuses on how sex changes for women as they move through midlife and into older age. To try to get an idea of individual experiences in changes of sexual function during their midlife years, the team conducted focus groups with women between the ages of 45 and 60. While many discussed the common negative changes in sexual function like vaginal dryness, difficulties in libido, and taking longer to orgasm, there were also women who experiences positive changes, which they largely attributed to confidence and comfort in their own skin. Also, Thomas explained that while many experts focus on the hormone aspect of sexual function in menopausal women, she encourages folks to take a bio-social approach in understanding the situation.