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Medical Services | Health Information | Appointments | Education and Research | Jobs | About Senior dating: Resuming sexual activity later in life

I am a 76-year-old female. I've not been sexually active in many years. But I'm in a relationship now and wonder if I will be able to resume sexual activity again at this late time?
- No name / No state given
Mayo Clinic geriatrician Paul Takahashi, M.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.
Answer
You will be happy to learn that you can resume sexual activity — as long as you're willing to invest a little time and patience.

As women age, they experience several changes in their vaginal area. The vagina and vaginal opening often become smaller, especially when estrogen levels are low. As a result, it often takes longer for the vagina to swell and lubricate when you're sexually aroused. Together these changes can make intercourse painful.

The good news is that there are steps you can take to make sexual intercourse more comfortable, including:

Longer foreplay. Foreplay helps stimulate natural lubrication.
Over-the-counter lubricants. Products such as K-Y Lubricating Jelly and Glide are available for this purpose.
Topical estrogen treatment. For some women, treatment with vaginal estrogen creams is the best way to increase natural lubrication.
If a woman hasn't had intercourse for a while, it will take time to stretch out the vagina so that it can accommodate a penis. Talk to your partner about what works best. You may want to try different sexual positions or different times of day.

You should also keep in mind that sex is more than intercourse. Touching and cuddling are an important part of sexual activity. Communicating with your partner is the best way to achieve sexual satisfaction.

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more information By Mayo Clinic Staff
Nov 15, 2006
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