Sexual Dysfunction in Drug Naïve Females with the First Episode of Major Depression: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The sexual dysfunctions (SD) among depressive female patients is highly prevalent; it remains neglected and untreated for various reasons. Hence, there is a need to estimate SD among females with major depression to improve their quality of life. AIMS: This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence of SD in females with the first episode of major depression patients before starting treatment. METHODS: Eighty consecutive drug-naive females with the first episode of major depression as DSM-5 criteria, presenting to psychiatry OPD of a tertiary teaching hospital, were evaluated. The severity of depression and the presence or absence of SD among study subjects were assessed by HAM-D(17) and the FSFI scale, respectively. RESULTS: Approx 1,693 patients screened for depression, of these 202 drug-naïve women suspected of depression. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, 80 patients comprised the final sample. The prevalence of SD in drug naïve females was 73.8%. The HAM-D(17) scores correlated significantly with the total score and each domain of the FSFI scale. There was no significant relationship between SD and sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the high prevalence of SD in depressed females, affecting all phases of the sexual response, with a predominance of desire disorders. Also, there was a significant correlation between the severity of depression with SD. It emphasizes the importance of screening this population to identify the condition, impairing marital function and quality of life.