Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Sexual Problems in Women
There are many problems that can keep a woman from enjoying sex. They include:
- Lack of sexual desire
- Inability to become aroused
- Lack of orgasm, or sexual climax
- Painful intercourse
These problems may have physical or psychological causes. Physical causes may include conditions like diabetes, heart disease, nerve disorders, or hormone problems. Some drugs can also affect desire and function. Psychological causes may include work-related stress and anxiety. They may also include depression or concerns about marriage or relationship problems. For some women, the problem results from past sexual trauma.
Occasional problems with sexual function are common. If problems last more than a few months or cause distress for you or your partner, you should see your health care provider.
It sits within Women, Sexual Health Issues and Female Reproductive System.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Sexual Problems in Women
10 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research already completed
- The Effect of Sexual Education-Counseling According to PLISSIT in Solving Sexual Problems in Women Using Contraceptive Methods: One Year Follow-up ResultsIzmir Katip Celebi University
- 2023 Problems Faced by Women Earthquake Survivors in KahramanmaraşMaltepe University
- Sexual Education in Women Based On The Plissit Model On Awareness And Attitude in Midwifery StudentsSakarya University
- Using BETTER Model Sexual Problems in Breast CancerIstanbul University - Cerrahpasa
- RCT of an Internet-based CBT Program for Sexuality and Intimacy Problems in Women Treated for Breast CancerThe Netherlands Cancer Institute
- Effects of Tribulus Terrestris on Sexual Function in Post-menopausal WomenFaculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Start Here
- Female Sexual DysfunctionMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Your Sexual HealthAmerican College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
Living With
- Self-Help Tips (for Vulvar Pain)National Vulvodynia Association
Related Issues
- Female Genital Mutilation or CuttingDepartment of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health
- Managing Sexual Side Effects as a Woman with CancerAmerican Cancer Society
- Vaginal AtrophyMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Viagra for Women: Why Doesn't It Exist?Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Women's Sexual Health: Talking about Your Sexual NeedsMayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: DyspareuniaNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Female Sexual DysfunctionNational Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: VaginismusNational Institutes of Health
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Vaginismus, Dyspareunia, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Sexual Problems in Women, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.