Endometriosis and sexual health: a systematic review

Azita Goshtasebi, Mitra Zandi, Jila Sadighi, Katayoun Jahangiri
In: Payesh, Vol 14, Iss 1, Pp 25-40 (2015) · 2015 · W4389028623
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-08 ⓘ

This systematic review analyzed 37 papers and found that endometriosis significantly impacts women's sexual and marital relationships, with dyspareunia being a common symptom and sexual well-being only recently included as a treatment outcome.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-10 · read from full text ⓘ

This systematic review used PRISMA to identify and critically narratively synthesize 37 studies published between 1975 and 2013 on how endometriosis and its medical or surgical treatments affect sexual health. Most included studies were quantitative (32) with a smaller number of qualitative studies (5), and the review found that dyspareunia was most often reported as part of an overall pain syndrome rather than as a standalone sexual problem. The review also reported that sexual well-being has been incorporated into treatment outcomes mainly in more recent years, with outcomes such as pain, sexual intercourse frequency, sexual function, satisfaction, and orgasm being the most frequently assessed. The paper is limited by the heterogeneity and narrative synthesis approach across the included studies. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it reviews the impact of endometriosis and its treatments on sexual health, relationships, and quality of life.

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Abstract

of patients has received less attention and most studies focused primarily on infertility, pain, and dyspareunia as main complaints of patients. The aim of this paper was to review the existing body of information on the impact of endometriosis and its medical and surgical treatments on sexual health of patients, providing new insight into the issue, and call attention to this overlooked aspects of women’s life.Methods: Using the PRISMA guideline, papers published between 1975 and 2013 on the topic of endometriosis, and its treatments retrieved and with a critical narrative synthesis the effect of disease or its treatments on sexual health of patients were reviewed. Results: In total, 37 papers were found relevant. Of these 32 papers used quantitative methods and 5were qualitative studies. The results showed that dyspareunia was the most common symptom as part of a pain syndrome and not a sexual problem. Sexual well being of patients has been included in the treatment outcomes only in recent years. Pain, frequency of sexual intercourse, sexual function, and satisfaction, and orgasm were the most accounted outcomes.Conclusion: Endometriosis strongly affects sexual and marital relationships and quality of life in women. Therefore, these aspects of patients’ life as well as biological and clinical indicators should be integrated into the health care and the future research.
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Payesh (Feb 2015) Endometriosis and sexual health: a systematic review Abstract of patients has received less attention and most studies focused primarily on infertility, pain, and dyspareunia as main complaints of patients. The aim of this paper was to review the existing body of information on the impact of endometriosis and its medical and surgical treatments on sexual health of patients, providing new insight into the issue, and call attention to this overlooked aspects of women’s life.Methods: Using the PRISMA guideline, papers published between 1975 and 2013 on the topic of endometriosis, and its treatments retrieved and with a critical narrative synthesis the effect of disease or its treatments on sexual health of patients were reviewed. Results: In total, 37 papers were found relevant. Of these 32 papers used quantitative methods and 5were qualitative studies. The results showed that dyspareunia was the most common symptom as part of a pain syndrome and not a sexual problem. Sexual well being of patients has been included in the treatment outcomes only in recent years. Pain, frequency of sexual intercourse, sexual function, and satisfaction, and orgasm were the most accounted outcomes.Conclusion: Endometriosis strongly affects sexual and marital relationships and quality of life in women. Therefore, these aspects of patients’ life as well as biological and clinical indicators should be integrated into the health care and the future research.

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endometriosisdyspareuniainfertility

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