Women facing gynaecologic surgery don’t worry about sex
April 13th, 2010 - 2:36 pm ICT by IANSWashington, April 13 (IANS) Most women facing gynaecologic surgery don’t worry about its effects on their sex lives, a new study says.
However, only 37 percent of women planning to be sterilised did voice concern that they might have less sexual desire after the operation - even though that surgery does not affect hormone levels.
Among those in the study who were having reproductive organs surgically removed, fewer than 15 percent expressed concerns about sex.
Women scheduled for ovary removal were more likely to expect to lose sexual desire and enjoy sex less after surgery than were women scheduled for hysterectomies.
“Most women were not very concerned, and among any women who do have these worries, I think we can reassure them that they don’t necessarily have to fear a detriment to sexual function,” said senior study author Jonathan Schaffir.
Schaffir is clinical associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Ohio State University (OSU) and senior author of the study.
“Some women who have their ovaries removed might have a decrease in hormone levels and might have a problem but that is certainly not the rule,” he added.
Ovary removal leads to menopause in women, which can be characterised by such symptoms as hot flashes, night sweats, sleeping difficulties, irritability and vaginal dryness, as well as the possibility of reduced interest in sex, Schaffir said.
He added that doctors can offer remedies, especially a variety of therapies to replace lost estrogen, for most of those symptoms.
Hysterectomy - removal of the uterus - and sterilisation through less invasive methods do not affect hormone levels.
Schaffir and colleagues collected data over six months from women admitted for benign gynecologic surgeries at OSU Medical Centre.
During that time, 150 women were admitted for eligible surgeries, and 75 women completed the surveys, said an OSU release.
Demographically, the women were not all that different, except in age. Patients undergoing sterilisation were significantly younger than those having their ovaries or uteruses removed, and women undergoing oophorectomy - ovary removal - were generally older than those having a hysterectomy.
Between 68 percent and 74 percent of the women reported that they were sexually active.
The findings have been published in a recent issue of the Journal of Sexual Medicine.
- Most women scheduled for gynaecologic surgery not afraid of its effects on sex - Apr 13, 2010
- Hysterectomy via keyhole surgery is best: Study - Jul 18, 2010
- Rare surgery performed in Abu Dhabi hospital - Sep 06, 2011
- Mumbai medicos develop device against heavy menstrual bleeding - Jan 08, 2012
- Early stage ovarian cancer patients can preserve fertility - Aug 11, 2009
- Now, cure fibroids without losing uterus - Jul 19, 2010
- Retaining ovaries linked to longevity - Dec 10, 2009
- Low dietary iron lessens brain disease risk - Oct 05, 2011
- A streetcar named Nano - for Rajasthan's sterilisation drive - Aug 23, 2011
- Confiding in spouse about sexual problems makes men happy - May 06, 2010
- Young women with early stage ovarian cancer 'can preserve fertility' - Aug 10, 2009
- ''Sexual satisfaction is less about biology and more about psychology'' - Sep 07, 2008
- Now, remove uterine fibroids the painless way - Jul 06, 2010
- Hormonal contraception drives joy out of sex for women - Oct 31, 2011
- Nano, bike on offer for sterilisation in Rajasthan - Nov 01, 2011
Tags: clinical associate professor, diffe, hormone levels, hot flashes, invasive methods, medical centre, night sweats, obstetrics and gynaecology, ohio state university, ovaries, ovary, removal of the uterus, reproductive organs, sexual desire, sexual function, sleeping difficulties, sterilisation, study author, vaginal dryness, voice concern