Sex is a natural part of being a woman. As with most natural things in the body sex can be upset by a number of different causes. For some women their childhood has not enabled them to develop positive and happy attitudes towards sex so they have never got into the way of being sexual, certainly not enjoying it. For others they may have been able to take part in it at one time, and enjoy it, but something has occured to interfere with this and things have changed.

Firstly, there may be medical illnesses, like diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression, where a sexual problem can be the first sign that there is anything wrong. Some medical treatments can cause sexual problems, and you will want to know how long the effect will last. There may be hormones out of balance after childbirth. It is often wise to see your doctor if you have a sexual problem, even though the emotional and relationship aspects of sex seem to be the most important factors for women.

Common causes of sexual problems in women are:

• not knowing how to respond or what to expect
• not having enough time to relax
• difficulties in the relationship with your partner
• a partner who is unwilling or does not like sex
• too much stress and pressure in life
• hormone changes with the menstual cycle, pregnancy and childbirth.
• the menopause.

Most sexual problems have more than one cause, and most can be helped to get better.
Here is a list of common sex problems for women.