Low Sex Drive in Women

If low sex desire concerns you, talk with your gynecologist or another member of your healthcare team. For some women, low sex drive is part of an ongoing condition called sexual interest-arousal disorder. It involves having at least three of the following symptoms, which cause sadness or anxiety:

• No desire to have any type of sexual activity or to masturbate.
• Few or no sexual thoughts or fantasies.
• Not wanting to make the first move in a sexual encounter with a partner.
• Less or no pleasure during sexual activity.
• Less or no interest in any sexual or erotic cues from a partner.
• Few or no physical sensations during sexual activity in most sexual encounters.

You don’t have to fit this definition to reach out for help. Your healthcare professional can look for reasons that your sex drive isn’t as high as you’d like.

During your appointment, your healthcare professional asks you questions about your medical and sexual history. Your health professional also might:

• Do a pelvic exam. This checks for signs of physical changes that sometimes play a role in low sexual desire. These changes can include certain skin diseases of the vulva, thinning of the vaginal tissues, vaginal dryness or pain-triggering spots.
• Recommend testing. Blood tests can check hormone levels. They also can look for thyroid problems, diabetes, high cholesterol and liver disorders.
• Refer you to a specialist. A counselor or sex therapist can help check for emotional and relationship factors that