Hysterectomy for benign disease IMPROVES SEXUAL PLEASURE :October 6, 2003
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Regardless of hysterectomy type, sexual pleasure seems to improve when the operation is performed for benign disease, according to a report published in the October 4th issue of the British Medical Journal.

Because hysterectomy may disrupt the nerves that enervate pelvic organs, concerns have been raised that the operation could have an adverse effect on sexual function and pleasure. If this were so, then these effects might differ depending on whether a total or subtotal hysterectomy was performed.

To investigate, Dr. Jan-Paul W. R. Roovers and colleagues, from the University Medical Centre Utrecht in the Netherlands, used baseline and 6-month questionnaires to assess the sexual outcomes of 413 women who underwent hysterectomy. In all cases, the procedure was performed for benign diseases other than uterine prolapse or endometriosis.

All of the women experienced a SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN SEXUAL PLEASURE after the procedure. Moreover, hysterectomy was associated with a reduction in sexual problems that did not differ significantly by procedure type. New sexual problems were uncommon following hysterectomy.

Although subtotal or total abdominal hysterectomy was more often linked to persisting lubrication and arousal problems than vaginal hysterectomy, the difference was not statistically significant. “This needs to be confirmed in a larger study,” the authors note.

BMJ 2003;327:774-777.
© Copyright 2003 Reuters

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