The co-effect of sensate focus technique and sexual position changing on sexual function of women who use medical treatment for endometriosis

Abstract

Endometriosis is one of the most common chronic diseases of women. This study aimed to investigate the effect of sensate focus technique and sexual position changing on sexual function of women who used medical treatment for endometriosis. This clinical trial study was performed on 80 women who used medical treatment for endometriosis. Women were randomly assigned to two groups: in the intervention group, 2 h of verbal educational session were held and at the end of the session, an instruction booklet about sensate focus technique was given to them, the control group received routine treatment. The sexual function and the dyspareunia of the participants were evaluated after 4 and 8 weeks. Eight weeks after the intervention, the mean total score of sexual function in the intervention group was significantly improved compared to before the intervention (p < 0.001). The mean score of sexual pain in the follow-up periods in the intervention group was significantly different compared to before the intervention and control groups (p < 0.001). The sensate focus technique and sexual position change simultaneously improve sexual function in women with endometriosis who used medication.

Trial registration: Approval number from Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials: IRCT2200617047812N1 (Registration date: 2020-11-05).

Impact Statement

• What is already known on this subject? The role of endometriosis in the genesis of sexual dysfunction in women has been mentioned in several articles. Researches have shown that some sexual positions put less pressure on parts of the pelvis that contain endometrial tissue. The sensate focus technique can improve sexual dysfunction, including hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), orgasm, dyspareunia, and vaginismus.

• What do the results of this study add? Have a positive effect on sexual function and dyspareunia in women with endometriosis undergoing medical treatment and improve their sexual function.

• What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Medical staff recommended becoming familiar with these techniques to teach sensate focus and sexual position changing to women with endometriosis to improve their sexual function.

Keywords:

• Sexual function
• endometriosis
• sexual positions
• sensate focus technique
• randomised clinical trial

Acknowledgements

Thus, the authors would like to appreciate the research council and all of the people participating in conduction of this study.

Competing interests

The authors had no conflict of interest in this study.

Authors’ contributions

SS conceptualised and designed the study. KS and MT collected the data, SS and MT performed the statistical analyses and checked the analysis of the data. MT and SS drafted the manuscript. SS and MT and KS were involved in the final revision of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Availability of data and material

The datasets of this study will be shared on reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Additional information

Funding

The research was funded by Tarbiat Modares University (Grant No: Modares.1399.089) and the Research Vice Chancellor of Medical University of Tarbiat Modares. The funding body only has evaluated the design of the study and did not influence the study development, or preparation of the manuscript or in other actions that subsequently carried out.