Significant resolution of female sexual dysfunction after bariatric surgery

Background: We have previously reported that most women seeking bariatric surgery have had female sexual dysfunction (FSD) as defined by the validated Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). The present study examined whether FSD resolves after bariatric surgery.

Methods: A total of 54 reportedly sexually active women (43.3 ± 9.5 years) completed the FSFI preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively after a mean percentage of excess weight loss of 42.3% (laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding [n = 38], percentage of excess weight loss, 34.6% ± 15.7%; Roux-en-Y gastric bypass [n = 16], percentage of excess weight loss 60.0% ± 21.2%). The FSFI assesses sexual function across 6 domains, with higher scores indicating better sexual function. The summing of these scores yields a FSFI total score (range 2-36, with a score of ≤ 26.55 indicating FSD).

Results: Before surgery, 34 women (63%) had scores indicative of FSD. By 6 months postoperatively, the FSD had resolved in 23 (68%) of these 34 women, and only 1 woman had developed FSD postoperatively. In the entire sample, significant (P < .05) improvements occurred from before to after surgery on all FSFI domains. The FSFI total scores improved after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (from 24.2 ± 5.9 to 29.1 ± 4.1, P < .001) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (from 23.7 ± 7.7 to 30.0 ± 4.7, P < .001). In regression analyses, being married, younger age, and worse preoperative sexual function were related to greater sexual function improvements. Postoperatively, the participants' FSFI total scores were indistinguishable from those of published normative controls (29.4 ± 4.3 versus 30.5 ± 5.3, P = .18).

Conclusion: FSD resolved in a large percentage of women after bariatric surgery. Sexual functioning in the entire sample improved to levels consistent with those of normative controls. This improvement in sexual function did not depend on surgery type or weight loss amount and appears to be an additional benefit for women undergoing bariatric surgery.