Sexual Dysfunction Increases Across the Menopausal Transition

Higher levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, the major adrenal androgen, were associated with a lower probability of sexual dysfunction.

Sexual dysfunction, which affects an estimated 40% of U.S. women, interferes with sexual intimacy. Does this problem increase during the menopausal transition, and if so, is the increase related to hormonal changes? To address these questions, investigators longitudinally followed more than 300 middle-aged women for 3 years.

One third of the women were categorized as having sexual dysfunction, as measured by a well-validated instrument. Multivariable analysis with adjustment for potential confounders revealed that sexual dysfunction increased across the menopausal transition, with postmenopausal women being 2.3 times as likely as premenopausal women to experience sexual dysfunction. Higher levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), th…

Reviewing Author

Robert W. Rebar, MD