Abstract
Objective
To evaluate changes in sexuality in women treated with Ulipristal acetate (UPA) due
to symptomatic uterine fibroids.
Study design
A total of 102 women with symptomatic uterine fibroids undergoing conservative therapy
with UPA were enrolled in this observational study. Sexuality was evaluated before
and after a three month UPA treatment using the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI)
as well as the Sexual Activity Questionnaire (SAQ). Before treatment was initiated,
participants additionally filled in a standardised questionnaire addressing the expected
changes in sexuality due to UPA. Demographic parameters, expectations concerning changes
in sexuality, and FSFI- and SAQ-scores were analysed.
Results
The average age of the study collective was 42.3 years. For the majority of the included
women (n = 70; 71.4%) sexuality was rated as an important issue and 86 women (87.8%)
did not think that UPA would have an impact on the frequency of sexual intercourse,
the quality (n = 91; 92.9%) or frequency of orgasms (n = 87; 88.8%) neither sexual
receptivity (n = 88; 89.8%). Full data sets were available for 73 patients (71.6%).
The FSFI showed significantly higher sub scores regarding desire (3.6 ± 1.2 vs. 3.9 ± 1.2;
p = 0.0012) and arousal (4.2 ± 1.7 vs. 4.4 ± 1.9; p = 0.0151) as well as a higher
total score (26.6 ± 9.0 vs. 27.4 ± 9.5; p = 0.0008) after UPA treatment. Regarding
the SAQ a statistically significant difference regarding the subscore “habit” was
found (p < 0.0001) comparing pre with post interventional scores.
Conclusion
Sexuality in general seems to be important for women with symptomatic uterine fibroids.
As the treatment with UPA appears to improve sexuality, this circumstance can be mentioned
in a pre-therapeutic counselling.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive BiologyAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Update on medical treatment of uterine fibroids.Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2017; 216: 61-68
- Epigenetic and genetic landscape of uterine leiomyomas: a current view over a common gynecological disease.Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2017; 296: 855-867
- The burden of uterine fibroids in five European countries.Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2010; 152: 96-102
- The effect of myomectomy on health-related quality of life of women with myoma uteri.J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2010; 36: 364-369
- The effect of myoma uteri and myomectomy on sexual function.J Sex Med. 2009; 6: 1032-1038
- Postoperative quality of life and sexual function in premenopausal women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy for symptomatic fibroids: a prospective observational cohort study.PLoS One. 2016; 11e0166659
- Alternatives to hysterectomy: the burden of fibroids and the quality of life.Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2018; 46: 31-42
- Beyond the physical: a qualitative assessment of the burden of symptomatic uterine fibroids on women’s emotional and psychosocial health.J Psychosom Res. 2015; 78: 499-503
- The female sexual function index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function.J Sex Marital Ther. 2000; 26: 191-208
- The sexual activity questionnaire: a measure of women’s sexual functioning.Qual Life Res. 1996; 5: 81-90
- Hormone replacement therapy after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy minimises endocrine and sexual problems: a prospective study.Eur J Cancer. 2017; 84: 159-167
- Fears and concerns of patients with uterine fibroids - a survey of 807 women.Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd. 2017; 77: 976-983
- Ulipristal acetate versus placebo for fibroid treatment before surgery.N Engl J Med. 2012; 366: 409-420
- Ulipristal acetate versus leuprolide acetate for uterine fibroids.N Engl J Med. 2012; 366: 421-432
- Efficacy and safety of repeated use of ulipristal acetate in uterine fibroids.Fertil Steril. 2015; 103 (e3): 519-527
- Long-term treatment of uterine fibroids with ulipristal acetate.Fertil Steril. 2014; 101 (e1-18): 1565-1573
- Uterine fibroid management: from the present to the future.Hum Reprod Update. 2016; 22: 665-686
- Effect of menses on standardized assessment of sexual dysfunction among women with uterine fibroids: a cohort study.Fertil Steril. 2015; 104: 435-439
- Long-term medical management of uterine fibroids with ulipristal acetate.Fertil Steril. 2016; 105 (e4): 165-173
- Fibroid volume, location and symptoms in women undergoing uterine artery embolization: does size or position matter?.Int J Fertil Womens Med. 2007; 52: 111-120
- Effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound on sexual function in the treatment of uterine fibroids: comparison to conventional myomectomy.Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2013; 288: 851-858
- Sexual functioning and psychological well-being after uterine artery embolization in women with symptomatic uterine fibroids.Fertil Steril. 2009; 92: 756-761
Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 14, 2018
Accepted:
June 12,
2018
Received in revised form:
May 27,
2018
Received:
April 11,
2018
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
