Risk of hypoactive sexual desire disorder and associated factors in a cohort of oophorectomized women

Abstract

Background Women with surgical menopause are at high risk of developing hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which may cause sexual and emotional discomfort.

Aim To determine the prevalence of HSDD and related risk factors in Spanish surgically postmenopausal women.

Design Multicenter, cross-sectional study.

Material and methods The Brief Profile of Female Sexual Function^© (B-PFSF^©) questionnaire was given to 1136 surgically postmenopausal women between 18 and 81 years old (mean 52.1 ± 7.1 years) attending gynecological consultations in different urban and rural areas in Spain, covering the country widely.

Results From the entire sample, 1083 subjects were finally included. The mean score on the B-PFSF^© was 15.9 and a total of 74.4% of the patients presented total scores lower or equal to 20, indicating the risk of presenting with HSDD. The possibility to be at risk of HSDD increased with age from 65.9% in the age group <45 years old to 76.6% in the age group ≥55 years old. Non-users of hormone replacement therapy presented a higher risk of HSDD (odds ratio 2.1; 95% confidence interval 1.3–3.4); the risk was increased as well when the time elapsed since surgical menopause was <5 years (odds ratio 1.8; 95% confidence interval 1.0–3.0).

Conclusion Nearly three out of four women who had undergone bilateral oophorectomy were at risk of suffering HSDD; this risk was increased when less than 5 years since surgical menopause had elapsed. The use of hormone replacement therapy was associated with lower HSDD risk.

Key words:

• Surgical Menopause
• Oophorectomy
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
• Brief Profile of Female Sexual Function

Conflict of interest  Dr Cambalia is an employee of Procter & Gamble Iberia, Medical Department, Spain.

Source of funding  Unrestricted grant from Procter & Gamble Iberia.