The midlife health conversation more than half of women aren’t having

More than half of women in midlife have noticed changes in their intimate health over the past year, from vaginal dryness to bladder leaks and a dip in desire. New research suggests many have lived with these symptoms for years without telling anyone. The reassuring news is that these changes are common, and help is available.

Between the school run, work, family commitments and perhaps caring for older relatives, it is easy for women in their forties, fifties and beyond to put their own health at the bottom of the list. When the issue feels personal or awkward, it can slip even further down.

A survey of 2,000 women aged 38 to 70, carried out by OnePoll in August 2026 and commissioned by digital healthcare provider Voy, found that 58% had experienced at least one sexual health symptom in the previous 12 months. Among women aged 45 to 54, that figure rose to 68%.

Common and often long-lasting

The symptoms reported most often were low or no desire for sex (36%), urinary leaks or urgency (30%) and vaginal dryness (26%). For many, these were not passing issues. Of the women experiencing symptoms, 60% had lived with them for more than a year and 38% for longer than two years.

Which symptom matters most can shift with age. For women aged 45 to 54, low desire had the greatest impact, while for those aged 55 and over, bladder leaks and urgency topped the list.

More than a physical issue

The effects reach well beyond the body. Half of the women with symptoms said they affected their quality of life somewhat or a lot, and 47% said they had an impact on their sex life or relationships. This rose to 54% among women aged 38 to 44 and 51% among those aged 45 to 54.

The emotional toll was wider still. Eight in ten (81%) said their symptoms affected them emotionally, most often through frustration (39%), reduced confidence (37%), lower mood (35%) and increased anxiety (31%). Just over a quarter (27%) said they often avoided sex or intimacy as a result.

Why women stay quiet

Despite this, only 13% of women said they had ever spoken to a medical professional about their sexual health, and 57% had never discussed their symptoms with anyone at all, including friends or a partner. Embarrassment (27%) and the belief that these changes are simply part of getting older (27%) were the most common reasons for not seeking treatment, while one in five (20%) felt their symptoms were not serious enough.

Dr Angela Wright, a Clinical Sexologist, BMS Registered Menopause Specialist and Clinical Advisor for Voy, says: “Sexual health symptoms are incredibly common, yet these findings show just how many women are continuing to live with them without support.”

She explains that embarrassment, the assumption that it is all part of ageing and limited awareness of treatments can leave women feeling they simply have to put up with their symptoms. In her view, talking about sexual health and its treatment needs to become far more routine, “so that women don’t have to reach a crisis point before they feel able to ask for help.”

Knowing what is available

Awareness of the options also appears patchy. Among menopausal and post-menopausal women, 59% knew treatment was available, but 77% of those thought of lubricants. Only 26% of women were aware of vaginal oestrogen, and around 6% had ever used it.

Vaginal oestrogen is a low-dose hormone treatment that works locally and can ease symptoms such as vaginal dryness, discomfort during sex and recurring urinary problems including leaks, urgency and infections. Because it acts directly on vaginal and urinary tissue, with very little absorbed into the rest of the body, it is considered suitable for the vast majority of peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women, including many who cannot take systemic HRT, and it can typically be used long-term, on its own or alongside other treatments.

That said, symptoms such as low libido are rarely down to one thing. Physical discomfort and hormonal changes often play a part, but emotional and relationship factors can be just as important.

Starting the conversation

Women told researchers they would be more likely to seek help if they knew what treatments existed (29%), if their GP or nurse took the lead in offering information (29%), or if they could access support privately online (24%).

If any of this sounds familiar, a GP, practice nurse or pharmacist is a good place to start. As Dr Wright puts it, women deserve “to feel informed, listened to and able to access appropriate, person-centred care.” These changes are common, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, and looking after them is simply part of looking after yourself.

Ollēdi © 2026

Reframe your inbox

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss a story.

We care about your data in our privacy policy.