▁produce ▁less ▁v ag inal ▁lub ric ation ▁and ▁studies ▁have ▁investig ated ▁changes ▁to ▁degrees ▁of ▁satisfaction , ▁frequency ▁of ▁sexual ▁activity , ▁to ▁desire , ▁sexual ▁thoughts ▁and ▁fant as ies , ▁sexual ▁ar ous al , ▁belief s ▁about ▁and ▁att itudes ▁to ▁sex , ▁pain , ▁and ▁the ▁ability ▁to ▁reach ▁org asm ▁in ▁women ▁in ▁their ▁ 4 0 s ▁and ▁after ▁men op ause . ▁Other ▁factors ▁have ▁also ▁been ▁studied ▁including ▁so cio - dem ographic ▁variables , ▁health , ▁psych ological ▁variables , ▁partner ▁variables ▁such ▁as ▁their ▁partner ' s ▁health ▁or ▁sexual ▁problems , ▁and ▁l ifest yle ▁variables . ▁It ▁appears ▁that ▁these ▁other ▁factors ▁often ▁have ▁a ▁greater ▁impact ▁on ▁women ' s ▁sexual ▁function ing ▁than ▁their ▁men op aus al ▁status . ▁It ▁is ▁therefore ▁seen ▁as ▁important ▁always ▁to ▁understand ▁the ▁" context ▁of ▁women ' s ▁lives " ▁when ▁studying ▁their ▁sexual ity . ▁ ▁Red u ced ▁est ro gen ▁levels ▁may ▁be ▁associated ▁with ▁increased ▁v ag inal ▁dry ness ▁and ▁less ▁cl itor al ▁ere ction ▁when ▁ar oused , ▁but ▁are ▁not ▁directly ▁related ▁to ▁other ▁aspects ▁of ▁sexual ▁interest ▁or ▁ar ous al . ▁In ▁older ▁women , ▁decre ased ▁pel vic ▁mus cle ▁tone ▁may ▁mean ▁that ▁it ▁takes ▁longer ▁for ▁ar ous al ▁to ▁lead ▁to ▁org asm , ▁may ▁dimin ish ▁the ▁intensity ▁of ▁org as ms , ▁and ▁then ▁cause ▁more ▁rapid ▁resolution . ▁The ▁u ter us