Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T15:51:37.345Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Reproductive Life Events and Sexual Functioning in Women: Case Reports

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Julia K. Warnock  and
C. Faye Biggs
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Are reproductive life events in women associated with an increased risk of sexual dysfunction? Female sexual dysfunction effects up to 40% of women in the United States between 18 and 59 years of age. Sexual dysfunction may be accompanied by fluctuations in gonadal hormone secretion, making women more vulnerable to sexual symptoms, especially during times of reproductive life events. Reproductive life events, such as the use of birth control pills, various phases of the menstrual cycles, postpartum and lactation states, and perimenopause, are highly correlated with changes in sex steroids. As an understanding of the role of sex steroids on sexual functioning is elucidated, clinicians will be able to offer more specific and effective treatment options for women during various phases of reproductive life. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the unique clinical considerations that a clinician must consider when treating the biologic component of female sexual dysfunction.

Type
Review
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 8 , Issue 3: Sexual Dysfunction and Function , March 2003 , pp. 188 - 193
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.Google Scholar
2.Hudson, JI, Pope, HG. Affective spectrum disorder: does antidepressant response identify a family of disorders with a common pathophysiology? Am J Psychiatry. 1990;147:552–564.Google ScholarPubMed
3.Gitlin, MJ. Effects of depression and antidepressants on sexual functioning. Bull Menninger Clin. 1995;59:232–248.Google ScholarPubMed
4.Casper, RC, Redmond, De Jr, Katz, MM, Schaffer, CB, Davis, JM, Koslow, SH. Somatic symptoms in primary affective disorder. Presence and relationship to the classification of depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1985;42:1098–1104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Warnock, JKReproductive Life Events: Depression and Sexual Dysfunction. Paper presented at: the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; May 19-23, 2002: Philadelphia, PA.Google Scholar
6.Grimes, DA, Wallach, M, eds. Modern Contraception: Updates From the Contraception Report. Totowa, NJ: Emron; 1997.Google Scholar
7.Graham, CA, Sherwin, BB. The relationship between mood and sexuality in women using oral contraceptive as a treatment for premenstrual symptoms. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1993;18:273–281.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Graham, CA, Ramos, R, Bancroft, J, Maglaya, C, Farley, TM. The effects of steroidal contraceptives on the well-being and sexuality of women: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-centre study of combined and progestogen-only methods. Contraception. 1995;52:363–369.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Slap, GB. Oral contraceptives and depression: impact, prevalence and cause. J Adolesc Health Care. 1981;2:53–64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Bancroft, J, Sherwin, BB, Alexander, GM, Davidson, DW, Walker, A. Oral contraceptives, androgens, and the sexuality of young women: II. The role of androgens. Arch Sex Behav. 1991;20:121–135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Coenen, CM, Thomas, CM, Borm, GF, Hollanders, JM, Rolland, R. Changes in androgens during treatment with four low-dose contraceptives. Contraception. 1996;53:171–176.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Warnock, JK, Bundren, JC, Morris, DW. Female hypoactive sexual desire disorder due to androgen deficiency: clinical and psychometric issues. Psychopharmacol Bull. 1997;33:761–766.Google ScholarPubMed
13.Clayton, AH, Clavet, GJ, McGarvey, EL, et al. Assessment of sexual functioning during the menstrual cycle. J Sex Marital Ther. 1999;25:281–291.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Meston, CM, Frohlich, MA. The neurobiology of sexual function. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2000;57:1012–1030.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Levin, RJ. The mechanism of human female sexual arousal. Ann Rev Sex Res. 1992;3:1–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Kayner, CE, Zager, JABreast-feeding and sexual response. J Fam Pract. 1983;17:69–73.Google ScholarPubMed
17.Andrews, MC. Primary care for postreproductive women: Further thoughts concerning steroid replacement. Am J Obstret Gynecol. 1994;170:963–966.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
18.Rosenberg, MJ, King, TD, Timmons, MC. Estrogen-androgen for hormone replacement: a review. J Reproductive Med. 1997;42:394–404.Google ScholarPubMed
19.Redmond, GP. Hormones and sexual function. Int J Fertil. 1999;44:193–197Google ScholarPubMed
20.Shifren, JL, Braunstein, GD, Simon, JA, et al. Transdermal testosterone treatment in women with impaired sexual function after oophorectomy. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:682–688.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Sands, R. Studd, J. Exogenous androgens in postmenopausal women. Am J Med. 1995;98:76S–79S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Longcope, C. The endocrinology of menopause. In: Lobo, RA, ed. Treatment of the Postmenopausal Woman: Basic and Clinical Aspects. New York, NY: Raven Press; 1994:47–53.Google Scholar
23.Longcope, C, Bourget, C, Flood, C. The production and aromatization of dehydroepiandrosterone in post-menopausal women. Maturitas. 1982;4:325–332.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Davis, SR, Burger, HG. Use of androgens in postmenopausal women. Curr Op Obstet Gyn. 1997;9:177–180.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
25.Laumann, EO, Paik, A, Rosen, RC. Sexual dysfunction in the United States: prevalence and predictors. JAMA. 1999;281:537–544.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Sarrel, PM, Whitehead, MI. Sex and menopause: defining the issues. Maturitas. 1985;7:217–224.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
27.Berman, JR, Goldstein, I. Female sexual dysfunction. Urol Clin North Am. 2001;28:405–416.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28.Swain, S, Santen, R, Burger, H, Prichard, D. Treatment of estrogen deficiency symptoms in women surviving breast cancer: Part 4. Urogenital atrophy, vasomotor instability, sleep disorders, and related symptoms. Oncology. 1999;13(suppl):S51–S54, S57–S60.Google Scholar
29.Levin, RJ. The mechanisms of human female sexual arousal. Annu Rev Sex Res. 1992;3:1–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Graziottin, A. The biological basis of female sexuality. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 1998;(suppl 6):S15–S22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
31.Clayton, AH, McGarvey, EL, Warnock, JK, Kornstein, S. Bupropion as a Treatment for SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. Oral presentation at: Female Sexual Functioning Forum; October 26-29, 2000: Boston, MA.Google Scholar
32.Kessler, RC, McGonagle, KA, Zhao, S, et al. Lifetime and 12-month prevalence of DSM-III-R psychiatric disorders in the United States: results from the National Comorbidity Survey. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1994;51:8–19.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
33.Greden, JF. Unmet need: what justifies the search for a new antidepressant? J Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63(suppl 2):3–7Google ScholarPubMed
34.Croft, H, Settle, E Jr, Houser, T, et al. A placebo-controlled comparison of the antidepressant efficacy and effects on sexual functioning of sustained-release bupropion and sertraline. Clin Ther. 1999;12:643–658.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
35.Coleman, CC, Cunningham, LA, Foster, VJ, et al. Sexual dysfunction associated with the treatment of depression: a placebo-controlled comparison of bupropion sustained release and sertraline treatment. Ann Clin Psychiatry. 1999;11:205–215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36.Kavoussi, RJ, Segraves, RT, Hughes, AR, et al. Double-blind comparison of bupropion sustained release and sertraline in depressed outpatients. J Clin Psychiatry. 1997;58:532–537.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
37.Feiger, A, Kiev, A, Shrivastava, RK, et al. Nefazodone versus sertraline in outpatients with major depression: focus on efficacy, tolerability, and effects on sexual function and satisfaction. J Clin Psychiatry. 1996;57(suppl 2):53–62.Google ScholarPubMed
38.Montejo-Gonzalez, AL, Liorca, G, Izguierdo, JA, et al. SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction: fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline, and fluvoxamine in a prospective, multicenter, and descriptive clinical study of 344 patients. J Sex Marital Ther. 1997;23:176–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
39.Zajecka, J. Strategies for the treatment of antidepressant-related sexual dysfunction. J Clin Psychiatry. 2001;62(suppl 3):35–43.Google ScholarPubMed
40.Ahokas, Aet al.Positive treatment effect of E2 in postpartum psychosis: a pilot study. J Clin Psychiatry. 2000;61:166–169.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
41.Soares, C. Estrogen patches improves perimenopausal depression. Paper presented at: the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; May 13-20, 2000: Chicago, Ill.Google Scholar
42.Rocca, C. Psychobiology of perimenopausal dysphoria. Paper presented at: North American Society of Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynecolgy, National Institute of Health; February 28-March 3, 1999; Maui, HI.Google Scholar
43.Schneider, LS, Small, GW, Hamilton, SH, Bystrisky, A, Nemeroff, CB, Meyers, BS. Estrogen replacement and response to fluoxetine in a multicenter geriatric depression trial. Fluoxetine Collaborative Study Group. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 1997;5:97–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
44.Schneider, LS, Small, GWClary, CM. Estrogen replacement therapy and antidepressant response to sertraline in older depressed women. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2001;9:393–399.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
45.Fava, M, Rankin, MA, Alpert, JE, et al. An open trial of oral sildenafil in antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction. Psychother Psychosom. 1998;67:328–331.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
46.Nurnberg, HG, Lauriello, J, Hensley, PL, et al. Sildenafil for iatrogenic serotonergic antidepressant medication-induced sexual dysfunction in 4 patients. J Clin Psychiatry. 1999;60:33–35.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
47.Salerian, AJ, Deibler, WE, Vittone, BJ, et al. Sildenafil for psychotropic-induced sexual dysfunction in 31 women and 61 men. J Sex Marital Ther. 2000;26:133–140.Google ScholarPubMed