Sexual function in women undergoing surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis: a comparison with healthy women

Di Donato N, Nadine Di Donato, Giulia Montanari, Montanari G, A. Benfenati, Benfenati A, Arianna Benfenati, Monti G, Giorgia Monti, Deborah Leonardi, Leonardi D, Bertoldo V, Valentina Bertoldo, Chiara Facchini, Facchini C, Diego Raimondo, Villa G, Gioia Villa, Renato Seracchioli
The journal of family planning and reproductive health care · 2015 · vol. 41(4) , pp. 278–283 · doi:10.1136/jfprhc-2014-100993 · PMID:25883096 · W2087703347
article OA: bronze CC0 ⤵ 31 in-corpus citations
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This study found that laparoscopic excision of deep infiltrating endometriosis significantly improved women's sexual satisfaction, desire, and reduced pelvic problem interference with sex compared to preoperative scores, with post-surgery results comparable to healthy women except for orgasm scores.

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis is a chronic and progressive condition of women of reproductive age. It is strongly associated with significant impairment of sexual function. AIM: To objectively evaluate the impact of laparoscopic excision of endometriosis on sexual function in patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) compared to healthy women. SETTING AND DESIGN: Prospective study, including 250 patients with a diagnosis of DIE scheduled for laparoscopic surgery and 250 healthy women. METHODS: A sexual activity questionnaire, SHOW-Q (Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire), was used to collect data pertaining to women's satisfaction, orgasm, desire and pelvic problem interference with sexual function. Women with DIE underwent complete excision of endometriotic lesions. All participants were asked to complete the SHOW-Q questionnaire before and after surgery. RESULTS: SHOW-Q scores in the endometriosis group before and 6 months after surgery were compared with the healthy group scores. A significant improvement was found between pre- and post-treatment in the scores of the satisfaction scale, desire scale and pelvic problem interference scale of SHOW-Q. The distribution of post-surgery SHOW-Q scores was comparable to healthy women's scores apart from the orgasm scale score, which was unchanged in the post-surgery group. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical approach to treatment has a positive impact not only on organ impairment but also on sexual function in women affected by DIE.

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Condition tags

endometriosisdie_deep_infiltrating

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License: CC0 · commercial use OK