As for problems that women encounter in the area of sex, at first glance it may appear that they are not as drastic as those that afflict men. After all, nothing shuts down sexual intercourse faster than a flaccid penis. Nevertheless, the problems faced by some women in this area are just as serious.

One of these problems can take the form of vaginal dryness. A situation where vaginal secretions are not occurring at normal levels, while perhaps not preclusive of intercourse altogether, may certainly cause pain and discomfort, which may cause a woman to avoid sex. Or which may, at the very least, elicit from a woman the same attitude toward sex as reflected in a response made (purportedly) by a British lady from the prissy Victorian era, when asked how she managed to endure the act: "I just lay back and think of England."

Most would agree that sex should involve something more than thoughts of England. Further, painful intercourse will inevitably entail other problems. Almost certainly it will lead to an avoidance of sex. That is because, if the situation is not corrected, all too often the eventual course is no intercourse.

This can leave a woman feeling inadequate or incomplete, just as erectile dysfunction does for a man, and it can put heavy strains on a marriage or relationship.

As is the case for men, diminished desire is one of the more common problems experienced by women as they age. Although not as prohibitive to a continued sex life as lack of lubrication, lack of desire does reduce something that had been truly exciting to something that is humdrum, relegating the act of "lovemaking" to that of "duty".