Sexual function in patients with endometriosis: a prospective case–control study in China

OBJECTIVE: Endometriosis is a common disease in women of childbearing age, leading to sexual dysfunction or loss of libido. We aimed to evaluated the effect of endometriosis on women’s sexual function. METHODS: We performed a prospective case–control study to determine the effect of endometriosis on women’s sexual function using a self-administered questionnaire from September 2017 to August 2018. The simplified Chinese version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used to assess sexual function. RESULTS: We found that sexual function of women in the endometriosis group (n=77) in all dimensions was significantly lower compared with that in the control group (n=63). The total FSFI score in patients was 25.5, which tended to be lower than that in the control group (26.7). Sexual arousal, sexual pain, and satisfaction were significantly different between the two groups. Sexual arousal and sexual pain scores were significantly lower in the endometriosis group than in the control group at the ages of 31 to 40 years. CONCLUSION: Women with endometriosis suffer from sexual dysfunction, especially those aged 31 to 40 years. Our findings suggest that the quality of sexual life in this subpopulation needs to be improved.