This has many causes, and is not only experienced by women. The level of sexual interest starts to fall, and then continuous to decline, in men and women in their middle years. While some women undoubtedly find HRT of tremendous benefit to their sexual lives, others find it little or no help at all. It is difficult to distinguish which symptoms in women are caused by lower levels of oestrogen, and which are just the effects of ageing.

How HRT can help. It is not unusual for women to feel an increased sex drive after the menopause. This is often because they no longer have an underlying worry about becoming pregnant, although the majority of women now have available much more effective contraception than their mothers and grandmothers did. However, if your sex drive has taken a plunge in your menopausal years, then HRT may help. Sometimes oestrogen alone is enough, but if loss of sex drive is coupled with a severe loss of self-confidence, your doctor may suggest you try the implant form of HRT as the male hormone, testosterone, can be incorporated into it, which may help these particular problems.

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