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Women's sexual health: Talking about your sexual needs

A bit about women's sexual health

Many people think that your body's physical desire for sex motivates sexual activity, which leads to sexual arousal and then orgasm. Although this might be true for most men, it's not necessarily true for most women. Different factors help many women feel aroused and desire sex, and different factors dampen desire.

For many women, particularly those who are older than 40 or who have gone through menopause, physical desire isn't the primary motivation for sex. A woman might be motivated to have sex to feel close to her partner or to show her feelings.

Sexual satisfaction differs for everyone. Many factors influence sexual response, including how you feel about your partner, how you feel about yourself, your health, and your religious and cultural upbringing. If you have concerns about your sex life, or you just want to find ways to enhance it, a good first step is talking with your partner.