Do women with endometriosis have to worry about sex?

Nadine Di Donato, Di Donato N, Montanari G, Giulia Montanari, A. Benfenati, Arianna Benfenati, Benfenati A, Giorgia Monti, Monti G, Valentina Bertoldo, Bertoldo V, M. Mauloni, Maurizio Mauloni, Mauloni M, Renato Seracchioli
European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology · 2014 · vol. 179 , pp. 69–74 · doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2014.05.022 · PMID:24965983 · W2064184451
article OA: closed CC0 ⤵ 59 in-corpus citations
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This paper discusses the prevalence and impact of pain during sexual intercourse in women diagnosed with endometriosis.

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Abstract

Objective(s)Sexual function is negatively influenced by endometriosis and women with endometriosis show less sexual and partnership satisfaction compared to patients with other gynaecological disorders. This study aims to compare sexual function between patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) and healthy women using Sexual Health Outcomes in Women Questionnaire (SHOW-Q).Study designCase-control study including 182 patients with histological diagnosis of DIE and 182 healthy women, who referred to our tertiary care university hospital from 2010 to 2012. SHOW-Q was used to collect data concerning satisfaction, orgasm, desire and pelvic problem interference with sex. The un-paired t-test was performed to compare the means of a continuous variable between groups when the data were normally distributed; otherwise the Mann-Whitney test was used to check t-test results. Pearson's χ(2) test and Z-test for proportions - independent groups were performed to investigate the difference among grouping variables.ResultsAs described in a previous study, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in women with endometriosis is around 61% and in women with other gynaecological disorders is 35%. Assuming 5% significance and 95% power, 106 women would be required for the study. Every area of sexual function investigated through the SHOW-Q questionnaire (satisfaction, desire, orgasm and pelvic problem interference) was significantly impaired compared to healthy women. Among patients with DIE, 58% (105/182) reported that pelvic pain severely affected sexual function, while only 1% (2/182) of healthy women (p<0.0001). Moreover, sexual desire was absent or less than one or two times per month in 45% (82/182) of women with DIE compared to 14% (26/182) of healthy women (p<0.0001).Conclusion(s)DIE severely affects sexual function. Endometriosis is a global disease, which affects patients physically, psychologically and sexually. The potential sexual consequences of this disease need to be considered.

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Condition tags

endometriosis

MeSH descriptors

Endometriosis Personal Satisfaction Sexual Behavior Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological Adult Case-Control Studies Coitus Comorbidity Endometriosis Endometriosis Female Humans Middle Aged Orgasm Prevalence Sexual Behavior Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological Surveys and Questionnaires Women

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Papers in the corpus that this work cites (lower rings, blue) and that cite this one (upper rings, green). Dot size scales with the paper's in-corpus citation count — bigger dot = more influential within the endo/adeno field. Click a dot to open that paper. [ expand to 2 hops ] — adds papers reached through this work's immediate citers/citees. Heavier; up to 60 extra dots.

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Cited by (50)

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