Women with long COVID more likely to experience sexual dysfunction. Here's what can help.

oLong COVID is a condition that can cause a wide range of symptoms, from intense fatigue to a lingering cough. While researchers are still trying to learn more about long COVID and its impact, a new study finds the condition is also linked t sexual dysfunction in women.

An estimated 8.5% of women have had long COVID, making this a potentially huge issue for many (COVID and long COVID also affect sexual function in men, including causing erectile dysfunction). Here's what the research found, plus what to do if you have long COVID and you're experiencing sexual issues.

What the study says

The study found that COVID-19 and long COVID raise the risk that women will experience sexual dysfunction.

What are the key findings?

For the study, which was published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers analyzed data from 2,000 women, including those who had previously had COVID-19. Participants were given the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), a tool that measures elements like arousal and satisfaction with questions such as, “Over the past four weeks, how often did you feel sexual desire?” The researchers only included women who had had sex during the past month.

The researchers found that people who had a previous COVID-19 diagnosis had lower levels of desire, arousal, lubrication and satisfaction than those who said they never had the virus. Orgasm and pain scores weren't significantly different between the two groups.

However, while women who had a previous COVID-19 diagnosis fell into the FSFI's functional range, those with long COVID were more likely to have a dysfunctional score. More specifically, women with long COVID had worse arousal, lubrication, orgasm and pain scores than everyone else.

As a result, the researchers concluded that health care providers who treat women with COVID-19 "should consider proactively discussing sexual function with their patients and offering available resources."

"Women are unlikely to bring up the sexual concerns they may be having with their providers," study co-author Amelia Stanton, assistant professor in the brain sciences at Boston University, tells Yahoo Life. "I am hopeful that these data will foster conversations between providers and patients about sexual challenges and overall sexual well-being, so that providers can offer appropriate referrals and point to evidence-based recommendations that will help."

What experts think

"This is not at all surprising," Dr. Lauren Streicher, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. "We have a great deal of data which supports the fact that any chronic illness is going to impact sexual function. By definition, long COVID is a chronic disease."

Still, "these findings are very validating for women who have suffered from sexual dysfunction as a result of long COVID," Dr. Jennifer Wider, a women's health expert and co-host of the Open Wider podcast, tells Yahoo Life.

Long COVID patients can experience a slew of different symptoms but, in general, "They just don't feel their best," Streicher says. "When you don't feel well, sex is not going to be on the top of the list of things you want to do," she says. Research has also found that COVID-19 can change brain function, and Streicher says that may play a role in sexual dysfunction. "You have to wonder if it's having an impact on the neutotransmitters that are impacting sexual function," she says.

Why it matters

For women who suddenly experienced sexual dysfunction after having COVID-19, experts say there are a few things they can do.

Fatigue is a common issue for long COVID sufferers, and Streicher says that they may need to focus on when they feel their best during the day. "Sometimes something like switching from evening sex, when you're likely to be exhausted, to morning sex can help," Streicher says. "You may have to plan for sex as opposed to it being spontaneous."

If lubrication is an issue, there are over-the-counter and prescription products, Wider says. "Women should not hesitate to discuss with their health care providers," she says. "Some of these symptoms can be effectively addressed."

Given that the sexual dysfunction may be a result of long COVID, Dr. Thomas Russo, professor and expert in infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo in Buffalo, N.Y., tells Yahoo Life that making an appointment at a long COVID clinic near you can help. (You can find a list for some of the post-COVID clinics in the U.S. here.) There, patients can meet with specialists who can help treat the underlying condition or at least figure out how to better manage symptoms.

Streicher adds that people should give themselves some grace. "Do what you can," she says. For women who feel like they're struggling, Streicher says it's worth exploring whether long COVID is actually behind the symptoms, pointing out that sexual dysfunction in common, whether people have long COVID or not. "About 40% of the U.S. population has sexual issues, period," she says. "Is it long COVID or is something else happening? You can have more than one thing going on."

Russo also points out that long COVID symptoms tend to improve over time. (Research has found that most cases of long COVID usually get better within a year.) "Most people seem to get better, so hang in there," Russo says.