Since the pandemic, there have been many findings that explain the nature of long Covid. For one, it is said to damage the lining of vessels, thereby disrupting the flow of blood around the body.

It has been proven that Covid-19 infection has lingering effects. For one, many people suffer from long Covid, which includes a wide range of ongoing health problems that can last weeks, months, or years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that long Covid occurs more often in people who have had severe Covid illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes it can experience it.

Now, throwing light on a new kind of health setback associated with it, a study concluded that women who have had Covid infection may experience less desire and arousal as compared to those who have never been infected.

According to a Daily Mail report, researchers compared the “sexual function” of more than 1,300 women who either never had Covid, had been infected with the virus, or suffered from long Covid (those who contracted the illness at least three months prior to the study). The participants’ depression, anxiety and stress levels were also measured.

The impact of long Covid

It was found by the researchers in Vermont, Massachusetts and California, US, that women who never had Covid had “significantly higher” levels of “desire, arousal, lubrication and satisfaction” than those who had Covid and long Covid. In addition to that, those with long Covid reported “significantly worse arousal, lubrication and pain”, as compared to the other groups.

Dr Amelia M Stanton, study author and assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, was quoted as saying by the publication: “It might be surprising to some folks that long Covid symptoms really may have a physiological and psychological impact on sexual well-being for women.”

Researchers believe that long Covid could alter the normal flow of blood to a female’s genitals. Since the pandemic, there have been many findings that explain the nature and damage caused by long Covid. For one, it is said to damage the lining of vessels, thereby disrupting the flow of blood around the body.

Per the Daily Mail report, Dr Stanton believes this is the first such study to put long Covid and its effect on female intimacy in the spotlight.

How the study was conducted

The researchers surveyed 1,313 women divided into four categories based on their age groups: 18-20 years, 21-30 years, 31-40 years, and over 41 years. In addition to that, they were further categorised into three groups: those who never had Covid, those who had Covid at least once, and those who met the criteria for long Covid, as defined by the CDC.

Long Covid symptoms

CDC states people who experience long Covid commonly report general symptoms (tiredness or fatigue; symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort; fever) respiratory and heart symptoms (difficulty breathing or shortness of breath; cough; chest pain; fast-beating or pounding heart), neurological symptoms (brain fog; headache; sleep problems; dizziness when you stand up; pins-and-needles; change in smell or taste; depression or anxiety), digestive symptoms (diarrhea; stomach pain), other symptoms like joint or muscle pain; rash; changes in menstrual cycles.

The findings

Per the report, participants were given a quiz that had some intimacy-related questions. Only the results of women who reported having intercourse within the last month were included. Women who had been infected with Covid scored 8.5 per cent lower in terms of desire, 2.5 per cent less arousal, and 3 per cent less satisfaction. Those with long Covid had 12 per cent less desire, 5 per cent less arousal, and 5 per cent less lubrication.