Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Establishment of Rat Models Mimicking Gender-affirming Hormone Therapies
Published on: January 10, 2025
Effects of Hypothyroidism and Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Sexual Function: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using the
1Department of Thyroid and Breast Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China; School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, China.
Introduction:
Hypothyroidism and subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) are common metabolic diseases with severe psychological and physiological effects, which may be the risk factors of sexual dysfunction.
Aim:
The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of hypothyroidism and SCH on female sexual function through systematic literature review.
Methods:
Until February 2020, systematic searches were conducted on Pubmed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Clinicalkey to obtain eligible studies to report the mean and standard deviation of Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) in various fields in women with clinical hypothyroidism, SCH, and healthy controls. In accordance with the results of heterogeneity test, a random effect model or fixed effect model was selected to aggregate the scores of each field. The scores of female patients with hypothyroidism and healthy controls were compared using forest plot. Stata (version 15.1) uses meta-analysis.
Main Outcome Measure:
Evaluation values of various fields of FSFI in clinical hypothyroidism, SCH, and healthy controls.
Results:
This study included 7 studies, including 88 women with clinical hypothyroidism, 337 women with SCH, and 2056 healthy controls. Compared with healthy controls, patients with hypothyroidism scored lower in all FSFI dimensions (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain), especially in lubrication. And, only arousal and orgasm decreased in patients with SCH. Hypothyroidism (odds ratio = 3.912, P = .002) rather than SCH (odds ratio = 1.036, P = .886) was a risk factor for female sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion:
Hypothyroidism does impair female sexual function to varying degrees. SCH has little effect on female sexual function. It is essential to measure and evaluate the thyroid function of women with sexual dysfunction regularly, which can help clinicians improve sexual function and sexual quality of life. Wang Y and Wang H. Effects of Hypothyroidism and Subclinical Hypothyroidism on Sexual Function: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using the Female Sexual Function Index. Sex Med 2020;8:156-167.
More Related Videos
04:22Treatment Model for Young Patients with Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction and Resultant Infertility
Published on: May 30, 2025
05:32Author Spotlight: Investigating the Relationship Between FSH and Pathophysiological Changes in Perimenopausal Women - Insights from a Mouse Model
Published on: August 11, 2023
Related Concept Videos
Synthesis and Regulation of Thyroid Hormones
Upon reaching the thyroid gland, TSH stimulates the follicular cells' active uptake of iodide ions from the blood. The ions diffuse to the apical surface of the cells and are oxidized to iodine. The...
Functions of Thyroid Hormones
TH is indispensable for the normal development and maturation of the skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems during fetal and childhood growth. It facilitates bone mineral turnover and regulates protein synthesis in developing tissues, contributing significantly to overall growth and...
Therapeutic Index
Infertility in Females
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
Menopause
Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis