She doesn't want to 'do it'

Some weeks ago a story came out in The STAR about a man biting his female partner for refusal of sexual favours. It gives an idea as to how lack of sexual desire can cause serious tension in a relationship. It can even lead to accusations of infidelity. Unfortunately, men tend not to be very understanding or accommodating when their wives/girlfriends don't show any interest in sexual activity.

But what causes this problem?

A woman's sexual desire can vary from day to day. This can be related to the presence of stress in or outside of the home, fatigue, physical discomfort (such as a headache), and being at different points in her menstrual cycle. A woman's sex drive may differ from her partner's, even though both may be in the normal range. It may also vary based on the stage of her relationship, being usually higher at the beginning of one.

Different women find different things attractive about a man. For example, some women may find a muscular man attractive while others not. Generally, if a woman believes she is in a supportive relationship, her sex drive is usually not a problem.

A persistently low sex drive is usually what causes problems and there are many causes of this. Some women have pain during intercourse and some (not all) of these women may have a low sex drive as a result. Medical problems may also cause it such as migraine, arthritis, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or any other serious medical problem. Drugs such as those used to treat epilepsy and depression may also cause a drop in sex drive. Recreational drugs and excessive alcohol use can negatively affect libido as well. Sexual desire may also be affected by surgery on the breasts may genital tract due to the emotional and physical effects.

Hormonal problems can also affect the female libido. Menopausal changes may affect it, especially when associated with vaginal dryness. It may also drop during pregnancy and breastfeeding, which may be compounded by fatigue and body image changes.

Psychological factors can also kill sex drive. These include mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression, low self-esteem and history of physical/sexual abuse.

Relationship challenges can also reduce libido. These include such as lack of trust, persistent conflicts, ongoing abuse, and sexually incompatibilities, particularly where there are communication challenges.

Dr Douglas Street is a general practitioner and has private practices at Trinity Medical Centre, Trinity Mall at 3 Barnett Street in Montego Bay, and Omega Medical Centre at Plaza de Negril, Negril. Send feedback to drdougstreet@yahoo.com.