Female sexual dysfunction in an outpatient andrology clinic-A therapeutic opportunity?

Introduction: The sexual life of a couple is a dynamic entity, in which the two influence each other mutually, thus the existence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) can influence the treatment of the man who seeks clinical help. Identify sexual dysfunction in female partners of patients attending an andrology clinic may provide a therapeutic opportunity. The authors aim to assess proportion of FSD in this population by comparison with a control group.

Material and methods: A longitudinal study over 12 months timespan. The female partners of patients attending the andrology clinic participating in the study (study group - SG) completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), as did the women serving as controls (control group - CG). Further data such as age, duration and quality of the relationship and previous relationships was also collected.

Results: Of the 30 women included in the SG, 14 (46.6%) considered that their current sex life was worse than in previous relationships. Of the 20 women in the CG, 60% considered that their current sex life was better. In the SG, 22 (73.3%) had FSD, with a mean score in the FSFI of 20.5, whereas only 3 women in the CG (15%) had FSD, with a mean score of 30.7 (p<0.01).

Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that the proportion of FSD in female partners of patients attending an andrology clinic is significantly higher than control group. FSD treatment should be considered as a therapeutic opportunity for the couple in this setting.