Female sexual dysfunction: facts and factors among gynecology outpatients

This study was aimed at assessing the female sexual dysfunction of respondents at gynecology outpatient clinics.

The cross-sectional study involved interviewing 137 female respondents from the gynecology outpatient department of Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shaheed Suhrawardy Hospital with a semi-structured questionnaire during March-August 2007. The sociodemographic details and sexual history with sexual problems were recorded.

Half (51.8%) the respondents had one or more sexual problems. Pain during intercourse (71.8%) and reduced desire (54.9%) were highest among different complaints followed by orgasmic (43.66%) and arousal problems (32.39%). Age and education were significantly associated with reduced desire (P=0.03). Delivery mode was significantly associated with inhibited desire (P=0.01) and arousal problems (P=0.003), and not significantly with pain (P=0.06). After adjusting confounding factors, parity (odds ratio [OR]=3.4, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-9.68), history of menstrual regulation (OR=2.84, 95%CI: 1.31-6.22), mental stress (OR=2.81, 95%CI: 1.05-7.50) and sexual problems of the husband (OR=3.16, 95%CI: 1.19-8.44) became risk factors for increasing odds of having dysfunction while increased frequency of intercourse showed a marginally significant reducing effect (OR=0.764, 95%CI: 0.95-1.00).

This is a pioneer study in Bangladesh to postulate female sexuality, revealing pain disorder as most prevalent; the women with dysfunction were dissatisfied with their sexual life. In order to determine the cause of female sexual dysfunction, the topic needs further exploration involving intervention at regular medical investigations.