Sex After 50: Bringing Wisdom to the Bedroom

Available for Interviews: Dr. Karyn Eilber

Karyn Eilber, MD, is a board-certified urologist, an associate professor of urology & OB/GYN at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, and is an expert in women’s health and men & women’s sexual wellness.

What Dr. Eilber Can Say about
Sex After 50:

    • First, we should all acknowledge and encourage couples to have sex after 50—when we were 20 we probably thought 50 was near the end of life! We also all need to acknowledge that sex after 50 (like pretty much anything with our bodies) isn’t the same as when we were 20—especially for women.

    • Let’s start with a woman’s libido and arousal which are intimately (no pun intended) linked to her hormonal status. Even if a woman isn’t fully menopausal at the age of 50, which by the way is defined as no menstrual cycles for 12 continuous months, a 50-year-old woman is certainly perimenopausal which means her hormone levels are low. A woman’s arousal, the way she responds to sexual stimuli such as vaginal lubrication, may not be normal even though she is turned on. Her inability to lubricate normally can cause her pain with sex because of dryness, and in turn, her libido (sex drive) decreases—painful sex isn’t a turn-on for anyone. There are many myths and unfounded fears regarding hormone replacement, so a woman should discuss this with her doctor if she is experiencing these issues. Although there are medications available to help with low desire, they are indicated for premenopausal women and only used off-label for postmenopausal women.
    • Another issue that can affect a woman’s sex life after 50 is if she has incontinence or prolapse. If a woman is worried about losing some bladder control during sex or she is worried her partner will feel her falling bladder, she is definitely going to avoid it. Many women don’t realize these conditions can be corrected, and they should talk to a doctor who specializes in these areas. Pelvic floor physical therapy is often recommended and a stronger pelvic floor may not only improve incontinence and prolapse, but it can also improve sexual function.
    • I fully appreciate, as a physician and a woman of a certain age, what women experience with perimenopause and menopause. In addition to the physical changes, it can be mentally and emotionally difficult to explain to a partner that she is turned on despite not being lubricated well. It can also be embarrassing to carry around lube that looks like a tube of toothpaste which is why I decided to create a luxury FDA-approved lubricant for women. I am also conducting research looking at the regular use of a vibrator for female pelvic health. Middle age brings wisdom and confidence in our lives, so why not take that wisdom and confidence to the bedroom?

With some education and normalization of the discussion of female sexual health, women and their partners can all benefit.

 

Interview: Dr. Karyn Eilber

Karyn Eilber, MD, is a board-certified urologist with sub-specialty board certification in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and has over 20 years of experience taking care of women’s most intimate needs. She is an Associate Professor of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and is the Associate Program Director for the Cedars-Sinai Urology Residency Training Program. Prior to joining Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Eilber served at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Urology Department, where she gained extensive experience in pelvic reconstruction following cancer treatment.

​Dr. Eilber’s research focus has been in the field of urogynecology, and she has published multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. In addition to being a member and past president of the Los Angeles Urologic Society, Dr. Eilber is a member of the American Urological Association, the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital reconstruction, the American Urogynecologic Society, and the Society of Women in Urology. She is also a Founding Medical Partner of Doctorpedia.

Dr. Eilber earned her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences from the University of California, Riverside, which was an accelerated 3-year premedical program that allowed her to matriculate into the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine (UCLA). She completed a general surgery internship, urology residency, and female pelvic medicine fellowship at UCLA. 

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