Studies have shown that women with PCOS experience more issues in their sexual lives compared to those who do not have this condition. There are various reasons why the sexual life of women with PCOS can be hampered. Some of the physical reasons are sudden weight gain and obesity, hirsutism and acne breakouts. Psychological factors also contribute to this discomfort, as PCOS can hamper your mood, lower your self-confidence or self-esteem and give rise to negative feelings about your body. If you like many women of reproductive age have PCOS and your sexual life is also affected by this condition, it is important to consult an expert regarding this.
What Are the Health Benefits?
Physical Benefits
1. Healthy Immune System
A healthy and active sexual life improves your immunity and defends your body against germs, viruses and other intruders. But you also have to keep in mind that along with an active sexual life you have to eat right, exercise, get enough sleep, use proper protection and get checked up for STDs.
2. Healthy Libido
The clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Lauren Streicher, observed in her research that an active sexual life increases the libido or sex drive in especially women.
3. Improved Bladder Control
The strength of your pelvic floor is important to avoid incontinence which is also known as urinary incontinence. This is one of many health problems that happens when you lose control of your bladder and it is a common and often embarrassing problem. The severity ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having the urge to urinate that’s so sudden and strong you don’t get to a toilet in time. An active sex life strengthens your pelvic floor muscles.
4. Lowered Blood Pressure
Various types of research have shown that an active sex life lowers your blood pressure, thus protecting you from several chronic diseases that occur due to high blood pressure.
5. Improves Sleep
An active sexual life is like extensive exercise and will make you exhausted enough to get a good night’s sleep.
Emotional and Mental Benefits
Boosts Serotonin
An active sexual life boosts serotonin production in your body and higher levels of serotonin help improve your mood and fight off depression. A lack of serotonin can make you distracted and prevent you from planning and focusing on work.
Boosts Self Esteem
The feeling of intimacy, nurture and desire that is associated with an active sexual life can boost your self-confidence and overall well-being.
Considerations for Sexual Activity with PCOS
Body image issues
Women with Polycystic ovary syndrome often experience a lack of confidence and self-consciousness due to sudden weight gain and excess body hair growth. Various studies have also shown that women are more likely to struggle with body positivity than men and having PCOS symptoms increases that ratio. Women with PCOS can also lose femininity, libido and confidence and all of this can affect their sexual relationships.
Hormonal Contraceptives
There is a bit of conflict in opinion when it comes to the effects of hormonal birth control medication or oral contraceptive pills on sexual function. Some studies do say that women on birth control pills are more likely to experience decreased libido, arousal and pleasure. Hormonal IUDs on the other hand are associated with more sexual desire and lower levels of sexual dissatisfaction.
Fertility Problems
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome often leads to chronic conditions like infertility and women who face PCOS-triggered infertility often have to go through a lot of treatments to get pregnant. All these medications and treatments can impose a huge stress on the woman and her sexual libido.
Hormonal Imbalances
The distinct rise in androgen levels and male hormones in a PCOS woman’s body can lower her libido and cause low sexual satisfaction. Hormonal imbalance can also cause hair loss that takes a toll on body positivity.
Irregular Periods
Irregular periods and hormonal imbalances can make sexual relationships uncertain. In simple terms when you can’t control the bleeding you can’t control your sexual relationships. Some women with PCOS experience bleeding between periods or with sexual intercourse. Others bleed heavier than normal which could last for weeks without medical intervention.
Tips for Optimizing Your Sex Life
- If you are someone suffering from PCOS, managing your symptoms should be a definite step if you want to improve your sexual life. You can begin by losing weight and maintaining a healthy diet. This will improve certain symptoms like irregular menstrual cycles and also boost your confidence.
- Do not compare your sexual life with others.
- Share your sexual discrepancies with an expert.
- Seek emotional support from your partner: Women with partners who are critical of their partner’s appearance are more likely to have a negative body image.
Seeking Professional Support
Lack of desire is not the only reason to seek sexual counseling, there are also personality issues. If you think you have a sexual problem or are seriously dissatisfied with your intimate experiences, a healthcare provider or doctor who specializes in sexuality can serve as a shortcut to the heart of the matter.
Learn More With Veera
At Veera, we believe in providing end-to-end support to our patients. Not only PCOS but you can talk about anything with our health care managers. We have a dedicated professional for your mental health and even your sexual health. All you have to do is reach out to us and we will provide you with an extensive PCOS report.
