Your symptoms will depend on the type or types of female sexual dysfunction you have:

Low sexual desire. This most common of female sexual dysfunctions involves a lack of sexual interest and willingness to be sexual.

Sexual arousal disorder. Your desire for sex might be intact, but you have difficulty with arousal or are unable to become aroused or maintain arousal during sexual activity.

Orgasmic disorder. You have persistent or recurrent difficulty in achieving orgasm after sufficient sexual arousal and ongoing stimulation.

Sexual pain disorder. You have pain associated with sexual stimulation or vaginal contact.

Sexual problems often develop when your hormones are in flux, such as after having a baby or during menopause. Major illness, such as cancer, diabetes, or heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease, can also contribute to sexual dysfunction.

Factors, often interrelated, that contribute to sexual dissatisfaction or dysfunction include:

Effective treatment for sexual dysfunction often requires addressing an underlying medical condition or hormonal change. A prescription medication for premenopausal women with low sexual desire, known as flibanserin (Addyi), also offers a treatment option.

Issues surrounding female sexual dysfunction are usually complex, so even the best medications aren't likely to work if other emotional or social factors remain unresolved.