HORMONES AND SEXUALITY POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN - A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY

Sexual function, including vaginal atrophy, and hormonal status, were studied in 42 naturally postmenopausal women. Vaginal pulse amplitude and subjective sexual responses during self-induced erotic fantasy and during erotic films were compared with responses of a small number of premenopausal women. As predicted, vaginal atrophy was related to est rogens but not to complaints of vaginal dryness and dyspareunia. No si gnificant relationship was found between hormones and sexual function. Unexpectedly most of the few correlations that did reach significance involved prolactin. The fact drat prolactin was negatively associated with sexual desire, sexual arousal and vaginal lubrication during sex ual activity, suggests that psychosocial factors are more important th an hormone levels in postmenopausal sexual function. Comparisons with a number of premenopausal women revealed that although postmenopausal women displayed lower vaginal pulse amplitude responses prior to eroti c. stimulation than the premenopausal women, this difference disappear ed during subsequent erotic stimulation. We argued that this finding c an De interpreted as being supportive of the notion that complaints of vaginal dryness and dyspareunia should not be attributed to vaginal a trophy associated with menopause. Rather; vaginal dryness and dyspareu nia seem to reflect sexual arousal problems.