Bed death and other lesbian sexual problems unraveled: a qualitative study of the sexual health of lesbian women involved in a relationship

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To shed light on lesbian "bed death" among lesbian women. To explore the wishes and expectations of lesbian women with respect to healthcare professionals. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 30 self-identified lesbian women. The interviews were audio recorded. Three researchers classified and analyzed the most important themes. RESULTS: The women indicated few sexual problems except for "bed death," a quasi-complete cessation of sexual activity. Twenty-three women experienced "bed death: during the current relationship or a previous one. The factors felt by the women to contribute to "bed death: were environmental influences, the existence of a symbiotic relationship, hormonal factors, and reduced sexual initiative. The women indicated that they would like family doctors to adopt a neutral attitude, be knowledgeable about homosexuality, and be able to recognize homosexuality in their patients. DISCUSSION: A careful examination of the potential causes of "bed death" suggests that the phenomenon is more closely linked to a patient's gender than to her sexual orientation. Lesbian women would also like general practitioners to possess at least some basic knowledge about homosexuality.