It used to be something you worried about in your youth, but sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise in older age groups, with women over 50 proving to be just as much at risk as their daughters.
Diagnosed chlamydia infections doubled in Australian women aged over 50 from 2004 to 2010. And other STIs such as genital warts, genital herpes and gonorrhoea are also increasing in Australia’s older population.
The reason for this rise is certainly partly down to the increased divorce rate. Today more than one in three marriages end in divorce. As women get older too, there is an increasing likelihood of being widowed. Whether you leave or lose a long-term relationship, there is an inevitable phase of navigating some tough emotional terrain. Part of the adjustment is figuring out how you are going to reconstruct your life in ways you may never had thought you would need to anticipate.
Some women decide to stay celibate and concentrate their attention on work or personal interests, family and friends. However many older women find themselves dating, starting new sexual relationships and re-partnering for the first time perhaps in decades.
Women who have been in long-term relationships may never have thought they needed to worry about sexually transmitted diseases, but the latest research shows that it is a risk that needs to be taken seriously.
Buying condoms or dental dams are the easy part. Negotiating their use in a new relationship can be the tricky part. Many older women did not have exposure to sex education in their teens and lack the skills to have that conversation with a new partner.
A study from the University of Florida found that women over 50 are uncomfortable about seeking sexual health information from their doctors because they feel as though they should already possess the knowledge, yet they need and want sex education just as much as young people. It also found they avoid negotiating condom use with new partners because they fear it will result in rejection or conflict. There may also be some resistance from older men who may be concerned that sensitivity will a problem for their sexual performance or erectile dysfunction, or who are themselves not accustomed to using condoms.
Some women find it uncomfortable to request that a new partner have an STI check for a “clean bill of health”. I usually advise this be done without judgment for mutual protection, and out of mutual respect.
What if you want to stop using protection?
I recommend that both partners get an STI check. Provided that both you and your partner are all clear and both of you are sexually exclusive to this relationship, then it is safe to stop using protection. With any new partner, you should initially use protection until you both get tested and you are confident that your partner is not having sex with anyone else.
If you are definitely menopausal, you will not need to worry about contraception. However, it is important to make sure you are actually menopausal so that you know if you need contraception.
This is something to discuss with your GP. You can have a blood test but the most reliable sign is that you have not had a period for more than a year.
If you need advice about protecting yourself from STIs, see your GP or sexual health clinic. These are also the places to go if you suspect you may have an STI.
Could it be an STI?
These symptoms may (or may not) be an indication of an STI needing further investigation:
-A change in the appearance or odour of vaginal discharge
-Vaginal bleeding after intercourse
-Burning when passing urine
-Blisters, sores or a rash in the vaginal or anal area
FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:
RESOURCES: http://www.fpa.org.uk/sites/default/files/people-over-50-relationships-and-sexual-health.pdf
ACON: http://www.acon.org.au/womens-health/stis/What-STIs-Affect-Lesbians-and-Same-Sex-Attracted-Women
A version of this article first appeared in the August 2014 issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly.
