Sexuality in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study

Silva, Jucilene Sales da Paixão; Fonseca, Angela Maggio da; Bagnoli, Vicente Renato; Cavalcanti, Ana Lucia; Soares Jr, José Maria; Baracat, Edmund Chada

doi:10.1590/S1679-45082010AO1836

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Original Article • Einstein (São Paulo) 8 (4 ) • Oct-Dec 2010 • https://doi.org/10.1590/S1679-45082010AO1836 copy

Sexuality in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sexual behavior of women with polycystic ovary syndrome and the relationship between sexual behavior and the clinical parameters related to this syndrome (obesity, hirsutism and menstrual irregularities).

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 48 women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The evaluation was based on the complaints reported by the women with particular emphasis on sexual satisfaction, the presence of a sexual partner, phases of the sexual response cycle (desire, arousal, orgasm and resolution phases), sexual frequency, practice of masturbation, evaluation of less usual sexual habits, degree of intimacy and the quality of communication in the women's involvement with their sexual partner. The variables of sexual behavior (sexual satisfaction, masturbation, sexual fantasies, frequency of desire, arousal and orgasm) were compared with three clinical parameters: menstrual cycle, hirsutism and body mass index (BMI).

Results:

The sexual initiation, ways of expressing sexuality, communication and intimacy with partner and sexual satisfaction were not influenced by the clinical aspects of the syndrome. With respect to association of polycystic ovary syndrome clinical parameters with sexual behavior, a statistically significant correlation was found with the menstrual cycle.

Conclusion:

The absence of menstruation affected sexual interest in activities not involving the partner, thus increasing the frequency of masturbation.

Keywords:
Polycystic ovary syndrome; Sexuality; Sexual behavior

Question		n	%
Satisfactory sexual intercourse?	Yes	27	73
	No	10	27
Frequency of sexual intercourse per week?	Not sexually active	1	2.6
	Once or twice	23	60.5
	> 3 times	14	36.9
Frequency of desire/previous 10 occasions on which sexual intercourse took place?	0	1	2.7
	1 – 5 occasions	9	24.3
	6 – 9 occasions	16	43.3
	10 occasions	11	29.7
Frequency of arousal/previous 10 occasions in which sexual intercourse took place?	0	1	2.7
	1 – 5 occasions	9	24.3
	6 – 9 occasions	9	24.3
	10 occasions	18	48.7
Frequency of orgasm/previous 10 occasions in which sexual intercourse took place?	0	4	10.8
	1 – 5 occasions	13	35.2
	6 – 9 occasions	11	29.7
	10 occasions	9	24.7
Frequency of masturbation with partner/ previous 10 occasions in which sexual intercourse took place	0	5	13.5
	1 – 5 occasions	20	54.1
	6 – 9 occasions	9	24.3
	10 occasions	3	8.1
Do you like to caress your partner?	Yes	38	100
	No	0	0
Do you like to be caressed by your partner?	Yes	38	100
Are you satisfied with your partner as a friend?	Yes	37	97.4
	No	1	2.6
Are you satisfied with your partner as a lover?	Yes	33	86.8
	No	5	13.2
What are the reasons that sustain your relationship?	Friendship/love	23	60.5
	Family/Habit	14	36.9
	Financial	1	2.6
Duration of relationship?	< 1 year	1	2.6
	> 1 year and < 5 years	12	31.6
	> 5 years	15	39.5
Do you talk openly about sex with your partner?	Yes	26	68.4
	No	12	31.6
How often do you take the initiative/ previous 10 occasions in which sexual intercourse took place	0	11	29.7
	1 – 5 occasions	24	64.9
	6 – 9 occasions	2	5.4
	10 occasions	0	0
How do you take the initiative?	Caresses	19	73.1
	Caresses and verbal	6	23.1
	Verbal	1	3.8
Are you aware of the parts of your own body that give you pleasure?	Yes	33	86.8
	No	5	13.2
Are you aware of the parts of your partner's body that give him pleasure?	Yes	30	78.9
	No	8	21.1

Variable	Category	Hirsutism				Total		P value
Variable	Category	No		Yes		Total		P value
Masturbation	No	7	70.0%	28	73.7%	35	72.9%	>0.999^* * Fisher's exact test
	Yes	3	30.0%	10	26.3%	13	27.1
Sexual satisfaction	No	2	20.0%	7	18.4%	9	18.8%	>0.999^* * Fisher's exact test
	Yes	8	80.0%	31	81.6%	39	81.3%
Sexual fantasies	No	7	70.0%	25	65.8%	32	66.7%	>0.999^* * Fisher's exact test
	Yes	3	30.0%	13	34.2%	16	33.3%
Total		10	100.0%	38	100.0%	48	100.0%
Satisfactory sexual intercourse	No	4	50.0%	6	20.7%	10	27.0%	0.174^* * Fisher's exact test
	Yes	4	50.0%	23	79.3%	27	73.0%
Total		8	100.0%	29	100.0%	37	100.0%
Frequency of desire/10 occasions of intercourse	0	1	12.5%	0	0.0%	1	2.7%	0.202
	1 – 5	2	25.0%	7	24.1%	9	24.3%
	6 – 9	2	25.0%	14	48.3%	16	43.2%
	10	3	37.5%	8	27.6%	11	29.7%
Frequency of arousal/10 occasions of intercourse	0	1	12.5%	0	0.0%	1	2.7%	0.239
	1 – 5	2	25.0%	7	24.1%	9	24.3%
	6 – 9	1	12.5%	8	27.6%	9	24.3%
	10	4	50.0%	14	48.3%	18	48.6%
Frequency of orgasm/10 occasions of intercourse	0	2	25.0%	2	6.9%	4	10.8%	0.267
	1 – 5	2	25.0%	11	37.9%	13	35.1%
	6 – 9	1	12.5%	10	34.5%	11	29.7%
	10	3	37.5%	6	20.7%	9	24.3%
Total		8	100.0%	29	100.0%	37	100.0%

Variable	Category	BMI						Total		P value
Variable	Category	Normal		Overweight		Obese		Total		P value
Masturbation	No	21	84.0%	9	56.3%	5	71.9%	35	72.9%	0.149
	Yes	4	16.0%	7	43.8%	2	28.6%	13	27.1%
Sexual satisfaction	No	4	16.0%	4	25.0%	1	14.3%	9	18.8%	0.731
	Yes	21	84.0%	12	75.0%	6	85.7%	39	81.3%
Sexual fantasie	No	16	64.0%	11	68.8%	5	71.4%	32	66.7%	0.913
	Yes	9	36.0%	5	31.3%	2	28.6%	16	33.3%
Total		25	100.0%	16	100.0%	7	100.0%	48	100.0%
Satisfactory sexual intercourse	NO	5	23.8%	3	30.0%	2	33.3%	10	27.0%	0.871
	Yes	16	76.2%	7	70.0%	4	66.7%	27	73.0%
Total		21	100.0%	10	100.0%	6	100.0%	37	100.0%
Frequency of desire/10 occasions of intercourse	0	1	4.8%	0	0.0%	0	0.0%	1	2.7%	0.749
	1 – 5	6	28.6%	3	30.0%	0	0.0%	9	24.3%
	6 – 9	8	38.1%	4	40.0%	4	66.7%	16	43.2%
	10	6	28.6%	3	30.0%	2	33.3%	11	29.7%
Frequency of arousal/10 occasions of intercourse	0	0	0.0%	1	10.0%	0	0.0%	1	2.7%	0.174
	1 – 5	8	38.1%	1	10.0%	0	0.0%	9	24.3%
	6 – 9	4	19.0%	2	20.0%	3	50.0%	9	24.3%
	10	9	42.9%	6	60.6%	3	50.0%	18	48.6%
Frequency of orgasm/10 occasions of intercourse	0	2	9.5%	1	10.0%	1	16.7%	4	10.8%	0.704
	1 – 5	9	42.9%	3	30.0%	1	16.7%	13	35.1%
	6 – 9	6	28.6%	2	20.0%	3	50.0%	11	29.7%
	10	4	19.0%	4	40.0%	1	16.7%	9	24.3%
Total		21	100.0%	10	100.0%	6	100.0%	37	100.0%

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[1] Corresponding author: Jucilene Sales da Paixão Silva – Rua Dr. Mário Cardim, 463 – Vila Mariana – CEP 04019-000 – São Paulo (SP), Brasil – Tel.: 11 3375-7562 – e-mail: jsdps@uol.com.br