Quality of Life, Psychosocial Well-Being, and Sexual Satisfaction in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder characterized by chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism. PCOS is one of the leading causes of infertility and manifests with hirsutism, acne, and obesity. To investigate its impact on health-related quality of life and sexuality, 50 women with PCOS and 50 controls were evaluated with standardized questionnaires (36-item short-form health survey, symptom checklist revised, and life satisfaction questionnaire). The impact of hirsutism, obesity, and infertility was assessed using five-point rating scales, and sexual satisfaction was analyzed with visual analog scales. Patients showed greater psychological disturbances on the symptom checklist revised dimensions, obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, depression, anxiety, aggression, and psychoticism, along with a lower degree of life satisfaction in the life satisfaction questionnaire scales health, self, and sex. Health-related quality of life measured with the 36-item short-form health survey revealed significantly decreased scores for physical role function, bodily pain, vitality, social function, emotional role function, and mental health in patients with PCOS. Although patients had the same partner status and frequency of sexual intercourse, they were significantly less satisfied with their sex life and found themselves less attractive. Most of the differences were not affected by correction for body weight. In conclusion, PCOS causes a major reduction in the quality of life and severely limits sexual satisfaction.

Clinical and psychological correlates of quality-of-life in polycystic ovary syndrome

“…increased risk for diabetes). Several previous studies in women with PCOS support the role of several individual PCOS symptoms, including obesity (11,12,14,17,19), infertility (10,16,17), hirsutism (20), hyperandrogenism (15) and insulin resistance (11) in the modulation of psychological variables. The aim of this study was to explore the correlation of major PCOS symptoms with quality-of-life, psychosocial well-being and sexual satisfaction.…”

“…Decreased quality-of-life and mood disturbances including symptoms of depression, decreased sexual satisfaction, and problems with feminine identity have been reported (5 -17). We have previously documented decrements in healthrelated quality-of-life, decreased sexual satisfaction and increased psychological disturbances in a German PCOS cohort compared with healthy women (14). Whereas these data clearly document the presence and extent of psychological problems in this patient population, thus far little is known about the role of clinical symptoms in psychosocial functioning in PCOS.…”

“…As a comparison group, historical data from a previously studied healthy control group and for the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and the Symptom Check List 90 (SCL-90-R) normative data from the appropriate German reference population were utilized (14). Women in the historical control group were recruited from a health-screening program for employees instituted at the University of Duisburg-Essen Medical Center and by public advertisement.…”

“…Obesity is clearly an important factor which can profoundly affect quality-of-life in itself, without the presence of any other clinical symptom in otherwise healthy subjects (18). In the context of PCOS, the few studies that exist do support the role of obesity (12,14,17,19). However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent other PCOS features contribute to psychological problems in this patient population.…”

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Trend in a Nutshell

“…They experience physiological disturbances, depression, anxiety, lower degree of sex life, and a lot of stress (37,38).…”