A recent study conducted by Dr. Jan Shifren, of Massachusetts General's Obstetrics and Gynecology Service and team surveyed 32,000 women aged 18 and older, across the U.S. The participants were asked standardized questions about their sexual health. The survey also gauged the women’s distress related to their sex lives — including feelings of anger, guilt, frustration, and worry.

Overall, 43.1% women reported some kind of sexual problem; 39% had diminished desire; 26% had arousal problems, and 21% had problems with achieving orgasm.

But luckily only 12% suffered from personal distress due to these problems.

"The highest prevalence of sexual dysfunction was in older women, but they experienced less associated distress," Shifren said. "The most distress occurred at mid-life, and the youngest women had the lowest prevalence of problems and of associated distress."

"Sexual problems are common in women, but problems associated with personal distress, those which are truly bothersome and affect a woman's quality of life, are much less frequent. For a sexual concern to be considered a medical problem, it must be associated with distress, so it's important to assess this in both research studies and patient care."

The study also found that women suffering from depression had more than double the risk of having distressing sexual problems as compared with women who are not depressed.

However, the study did not specify why older women had more problems yet less distress about them. The researchers feel it could be related to partner changes, other medical problems, or problems with their partners health.