The number of women who have sex regularly declines with age — and often it’s for want of a partner rather than menopausal symptoms, a survey shows.

In the study of nearly 4500 UK women over 50, researchers found that fewer than a quarter were sexually active.

The primary reason for many was widowhood, but other reasons included a partner’s sexual dysfunction and the woman’s own physical and/or mental health problems.

“The central message from our study is that health is an important factor for continued sexual activity and satisfaction in older age, but lack of communication — between healthcare professionals and women and their partners — hinders appropriate support for those who need it,” said the study’s lead author, Dr Helena Harder (PhD), a research fellow at the University of Sussex.