Dear Dr N- I am 70 and have a new boyfriend and haven’t been sexually active for over 10 years. What should I do? signed Mrs Z.

Dear Z- 🙂 I would recommend an exam to find out if you have vaginal atrophy. What happens in the menopause is less blood flow to the vagina and due to less estrogen the folds of the vagina disappear. This can make the tissue less flexible and more dry. Some women have severe changes and some don’t seem to have this problem. There are some great ways to prepare the vagina for intercourse. Some are hormonal and some might just be mechanical. Local hormone therapy is safe and effective. There are biweekly creams and tablets and a ring that your can wear in the vagina and change every three months. If you do not want to use hormonal management some women are very successful with dilators or even internal physical therapy. External stimulation, obviously, can also get the glands working and get things stirring down there. There is no reason why you cannot have a fun and exciting time with your new partner when and if the time is right. Dr N