When sex is not on fire: A prospective multicentre study evaluating the long-term effects of radical resection of endometriosis on quality of sex life and dyspareunia

This prospective multicentre study in six tertiary referral centres evaluated 96 women with histologically proven endometriosis and dyspareunia using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS) before surgery and an average of 10 months after radical laparoscopic excision (range 9–12), alongside self-administered measures of psychological parameters and pain during/after intercourse. After surgery, the frequency of interrupted intercourse, avoidance, guilt toward a partner, fear of pain before/during sex, and feelings of being a burden for the relationship decreased significantly for women with peritoneal endometriosis and deep infiltrating endometriosis, and pain during/after intercourse also decreased significantly. Sexually related personal distress improved only in deep infiltrating endometriosis (not in peritoneal endometriosis/vaginal resection), with the main limitation being the questionnaire-based design and follow-up of about 10 months. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — it assesses long-term post-surgical effects of radical resection on dyspareunia and quality of sexual life.

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