Lack of sex drive in women (lack of libido)

Lack of sex drive (lack of libido) is common in women, but quite rare in men. Maybe not the UNILAG babes; The American Medical Association has estimated that several million US women suffer from what doctors there call 'female sexual arousal disorder' (FSAD).

However, doctors in the UK believe that 43% of the women in the UK lack sex drive.

In the UK and US, family planning clinics and Relate clinics see quite large numbers of women who complain of low libido. Our estimate is that at any one time, several hundred thousand women in Britain are troubled by lack of sex drive.

Many of these women have no problems with having orgasms. Rather, they have no real desire to have sex and their minds are not turned on by the prospect of love-making.

Fortunately, for many women lack of libido is only temporary. Some will get over it by themselves, and a lot more can be helped by expert medical or psychosexual advice.

what are the causes:
Physical causes

* Anaemia, which is very common in women because of iron loss during periods.

* Alcoholism.

* Drug abuse.

* Major diseases such as diabetes.

* Post-baby coolness, a term we have coined for the loss of libido that often happens after childbirth. It is almost certainly linked to hormonal changes that occur at this time. The general trauma of childbirth also plays a part - and after having a baby, many women are too exhausted to think about sex.

* Prescribed drugs, particularly tranquillisers.

* Hyperprolactinaemia - a rare disorder in which the pituitary gland is overactive.

* Other hormone abnormalities
Psychological causes

These causes are very common. It's understandable that when a woman is having a bad time emotionally, she may lose interest in sex.

Psychological causes include:

* depression

* stress and overwork

* anxiety

* hang-ups from childhood

* past sexual abuse or rape

* latent lesbianism

* serious relationship problems with your partner

* difficult living conditions, eg sharing a home with parents or parents-in-law.