Shahrahmani Nasim, Babazadeh Raheleh, Ebadi Abbas
Department of Midwifery, Razi Nursing and Midwifery Faculty, Reproductive and family health research center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
PLoS One. 2025 Jul 23;20(7):e0326188. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0326188. eCollection 2025.
Sexual satisfaction is a key component of human sexuality and is often considered the final stage of the sexual response cycle. Menopause is a physiological phenomenon characterized by various physical, mental, and sexual changes. This qualitative study aimed to explain the concept of sexual satisfaction from the perspective of Iranian postmenopausal women. the study involved 22 married postmenopausal women aged 40-70 years conducted from April 8, 2023, to March 4, 2024, at health centers affiliated with Kerman University of Medical Sciences. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to maximize diversity. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews until saturation was reached and were analyzed following the Graneheim and Lundman method using MAXQDA software. The study identified 16 subcategories and seven main categories include: 1. Sociocultural and religious factors, 2. Individual and contextual characteristics, 3. Psychological factors, 4. Traces of dysfunctional married life, 5. Sexual satisfaction following positive sexual interactions, 6. Sexual helplessness in menopause, 7. Sexual values in menopause. Sexual satisfaction during menopause is a mental, dynamic, and interactive concept significantly influenced by an individual's perception of their sexual relationship experiences and marital life. Physiological changes during menopause can lead to feelings of sexual helplessness, which impacts sexual satisfaction. Postmenopausal women may find that intimacy and emotional closeness with a sexual partner have a more substantial effect on sexual satisfaction than physical acts. Healthcare providers should develop interventions tailored to the sexual health needs of postmenopausal women, considering cultural, psychological, and physiological factors. Additionally, enhancing access to sexual health education can empower these women to articulate their needs and improve their sexual satisfaction.
性满足是人类性活动的关键组成部分，通常被视为性反应周期的最后阶段。更年期是一种生理现象，其特征是出现各种身体、心理和性方面的变化。这项定性研究旨在从伊朗绝经后女性的角度解释性满足的概念。该研究于2023年4月8日至2024年3月4日在克尔曼医科大学附属健康中心进行，涉及22名年龄在40至70岁之间的已婚绝经后女性。通过目的抽样选择参与者以实现最大程度的多样性。通过半结构化访谈收集数据，直至达到饱和状态，并使用MAXQDA软件按照格兰内海姆和伦德曼方法进行分析。该研究确定了16个子类别和7个主要类别，包括：1. 社会文化和宗教因素；2. 个人和背景特征；3. 心理因素；4. 功能失调婚姻生活的痕迹；5. 积极性互动后的性满足；6. 更年期的性无助；7. 更年期的性价值观。更年期期间的性满足是一个心理、动态且相互作用的概念，受到个体对其性关系经历和婚姻生活认知的显著影响。更年期的生理变化会导致性无助感，从而影响性满足。绝经后女性可能会发现，与性伴侣的亲密和情感亲近对性满足的影响比身体行为更大。医疗保健提供者应制定针对绝经后女性性健康需求的干预措施，同时考虑文化、心理和生理因素。此外，增加获得性健康教育的机会可以使这些女性能够表达自己的需求并提高性满足感。
