Evaluation of Women's Sexual Functions After Covid-19 Infection

Abstract

Objectives Sexual health is an essential component of life quality. In this study, we aim to compare the sexual dysfunction of women who had a history of COVID-19 and those who did not have been infected by COVID-19. Methods This study was conducted in a tertiary center between May 2020 and December 2020. Our study group included 50 women treated for COVID-19 at home, and control group included 51 women with no history of COVID-19. Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) was used to assess of these patients’ sexual dysfunctions. Results Sexual dysfunction in women with a history of COVID-19 was found to be significantly higher than those with no history of COVID-19. Sexual dysfunction development risk in women with a history of COVID-19 (study group) was 3.4 times higher compared to women with no history of COVID-19 (control group) (p=0.008). In addition, high number of children and low economic status were found to be predictive for sexual dysfunction after recovery (p=0.02 and p=0.024, respectively). Arousal, orgasm, satisfaction subscale scores, and total FSFI scores in women with a history of COVID-19 were significantly lower than those with no history of COVID-19 (p=0.011, p=0.002, p=0.028, and p=0.008, respectively). Conclusion Sexual dysfunction in the patients with a history of COVID-19 seems to be higher than in women with no history of COVID-19. Increased parity and low economic status are predictive for sexual dysfunction after treatment. There is a need for future studies relating to the effect of the COVID-19 infection in women’s sexual functions.

Assessment of the Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on the Sexual Function of Women, Levels of Oxytocin and Prolactin: A Prospective Cohort Study

“…Two of the biggest meta-analyses, performed by Hessami et al and Qaderi et al, showed that sexual function assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly decreased compared to pre-pandemic times [17,18] Only three studies considered the impact of SARS-CoV infection on this crucial aspect of human life. According to Gencer et al, women who were treated at home for COVID-19 had a higher risk of developing female sexual dysfunction (FSD) compared to healthy women [21]. There were only two studies that analyzed the sexual functions of women who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 over time.…”

“…This presents an interesting hypothesis that COVID-19 patients with impaired sense of smell may suffer from negative effects on their sexual function. The short and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sexual function remains largely unexplored [21][22][23]. Moreover, the results of the studies published so far are contradictory and do not give a clear answer [22,23].…”