The effect of hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy on sexual satisfaction

Abstract

Objective To investigate the effects of hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy on sexual satisfaction.

Methods Forty sexually active women underwent a hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy, for benign gynecological diseases. Patients were interviewed 15 days prior to their operation and again in the 3rd and 6th months after the surgical procedure. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and sexual satisfaction were measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Golombock Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS), respectively. Repeated-measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) examined alterations in anxiety, depression and sexual satisfaction. Independent t-test and Mann–Whitney U tests compared the numerical data.

Results The women had mild depressive symptoms before the surgery; however, these symptoms lessened between 3 and 6 months after the surgery. Similarly, the level of anxiety symptoms decreased during the postoperative period. Based on the GRISS cut-off point, it was found that the patients had problems in the sub-dimensions of frequency, communication, and avoidance in the pre-operative period. This pre-existing sexual dissatisfaction continued after the surgery, and sensuality and anorgasmia problems increased. Satisfaction, sensuality, avoidance and anorgasmia GRISS scores were significantly higher after the operation than before. Therefore, the patients' sexual satisfaction was decreased after the operation.

Conclusions Patients were dissatisfied with frequency and communication, and they had high levels of avoidance before operation. In the postoperative period, sexual dissatisfaction increased. Although depression and anxiety decreased after the operation, we found that hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy had negative effects on sexual satisfaction.

Key words:

• HYSTERECTOMY
• OOPHORECTOMY
• SEXUAL SATISFACTION
• DEPRESSION
• ANXIETY

Acknowledgements

We thank Professor Dr Mehmet Emin Soysal and Professor Dr Babür Kaleli for providing us with patients in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Pamukkale University Hospital.

Conflict of interest  The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this paper.

Source of funding  Nil.