Painful Sexual Intercourse Due to Menopause: Campaign
Academy Award-nominated actress Virginia Madsen is never one to shy away from a conversation, even if the topic at first blush seems awkward or embarrassing.
Impacting many women in the United States (U.S.), painful intercourse due to menopause is one of the most bothersome symptoms of a chronic and progressive medical condition called vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA).
“When I found out how many women don’t talk about their painful intercourse, I was surprised. It amazes me that in this day and age, when it seems there is no topic considered off limits, that so many postmenopausal women remain silent,” said Virginia Madsen.
“It’s very important for women to know they’re not alone. The more women who are able to find the right words to begin this conversation, the more widespread attention we can bring to this topic.”
[ Also Read: Kira Herbal Remedy for Menopause Relief ]As an advocate for women, Madsen has teamed up with Shionogi Inc. to launch a new awareness and educational campaign, Finding the Words (FindingtheWords.com ), to inspire women to break their silence around this common but seldom discussed medical condition.
A recent survey revealed that 44% of women indicated that they never discussed symptoms such as painful intercourse with a healthcare provider. One of the most common reasons cited for not discussing their symptoms is that they believed it was a natural part of aging.
[ Also Read: Pregnancy App from WebMD for Expectant Moms ]“These days, about one-third of a woman’s life could be spent in her menopausal years. I’m a confidante to many of my close girlfriends and we talk a lot about what we are experiencing as our bodies change, and I can tell you that intimacy remains important to women at any age,” added Madsen.
FindingtheWords.com offers important resources to help women who are seeking information feel more empowered to begin the conversation with a healthcare provider about painful sexual intercourse due to menopause.
Shionogi Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Shionogi & Co., Ltd., a Japanese pharmaceutical company.
Photo courtesy: Shionogi
