Sexual Dysfunction in Women with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an increasing health concern throughout the world. DM is categorized as either type 1 (DM-1) or type 2 (DM-2), where DM-1 represents a lack of insulin production, and DM-2 is characterized by a relative lack of insulin (i.e., decreased sensitivity to the effect of insulin). DM has long been considered a risk factor for sexual dysfunction in men and women, although the evidence in women is less clear. This review attempts to give an overview of female sexual dysfunction in women with DM. Although women with DM are at higher risk of developing sexual dysfunction than women without DM, there is great variability in results across studies, with the incidence of sexual dysfunction in women with DM generally linked less to organic factors and more to psychological factors, especially coexisting depression. This review hypothesizes several presumed causes for such variation in findings across studies and uses these explanations as the basis for a discussion of differences between men's and women's sexuality.

Sexual dysfunction in diabetic women

“…19 Over the last few years, evidence has emerged supporting the inclusion of ''distress'' in the definition of FSD; 20 however, the interpretation of the term "distress" can vary according to the woman's perception, from a persistent deterioration of the female psychology to a simple concern. 5 Three classical medical definitions for FSD are generally accepted and have been provided by well recognized medical resources. The ICD-10 classification focuses on physical factors that influence sexual response, 21 the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) -IV underlines the emotional and psychological factors involved in FSD, 22 and the most recent classification from the American Foundation of Urological Disease (AFUD) combines the previous classifications with the newest cyclic sexual response model proposed by Basson.…”

“…The first mention of this disorder was made in the 10 th century AD when the Persian physician and philosopher Avicenna described the "collapse of sexual functions" in men with diabetes. 5 Numerous presentday studies have shown that men with diabetes are indeed at increased risk for erectile dysfunction, which occurs at an earlier age [6][7][8][9][10] than in non-diabetics and is related to duration of diabetes, poor metabolic control, and the presence of diabetic complications. 11 Sexual dysfunction can be the first sign of the disease and also an indication of the patient's vascular status.…”

PUFAs from Stem Bark of Alstonia boonei Synergistically Modulates Diabetic, Hepatic and Androgenic Damage by Low Expression of COX-2 and iNOS in Rats

“…A recent report speculated that before 2030, diabetes would have affected approximately 40% increase of the world population [1]. Also, male reproductive challenges of modern societies reveal that the increased incidence of DM was closely linked with falling birth rates and infertility [2,3]. This could be attributed to the disturbing increase of diabetic men in reproductive age.…”

Can Lifestyle Factors of Diabetes Mellitus Patients Affect Their Fertility?

“…Vascular damage and neuropathy may result in decreased genital blood flow, leading to impaired genital arousal response; and 4. Psychosocial factors such as adjustment to the diagnosis of DM, the burden of living with a chronic disease, and depression may impair sexual function (Giraldi and Kristensen, 2010).…”