Relationship Satisfaction Predicts Sexual Activity Following Risk-reducing Salpingo-oophorectomy

Overview

Journal J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2014 Apr 4

PMID 24693956

Citations 6

Authors

Tierney Lorenz

Bonnie McGregor

Elizabeth Swisher

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Changes in sexual function are a common outcome following risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO), a prophylactic surgery for women at high risk of ovarian and other gynecologic cancers. Despite the known importance of sexuality in patients' quality of life and satisfaction with surgery, little is known about what predicts sexual activity following RRSO. The present study examined how mental and physical health variables predicted sexual activity before and after RRSO. We conducted a secondary analysis of quality of life measures collected in 85 women at high risk for ovarian cancer. Participants completed validated measures of mental, physical, and relationship health 1-2 weeks before surgery, and 2, 6 and 12 months following surgery. Across analyses, relationship satisfaction emerged as the most significant predictor of change in sexual activity: women with high relationship satisfaction were more likely to continue to have regular sexual activity following RRSO, even in the presence of vaginal menopausal symptoms. The effect of depression, anxiety and overall physical health on sexual activity was non-significant when controlling for relationship satisfaction. When counseling women about RRSO and its impact on sexual activity, clinicians should discuss the effect of the patient's relationship health on this outcome.

Citing Articles

Psychosocial predictors of change in sexual activity and sexual function after hysterectomy in women with pelvic pain.

Till S, Schrepf A, Santiago S, As-Sanie S Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2023; 229(3):322.e1-322.e8.

PMID: 37330127 PMC: 10527997. DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2023.06.026.

Quality of Life after Risk-Reducing Hysterectomy for Endometrial Cancer Prevention: A Systematic Review.

Oxley S, Xiong R, Wei X, Kalra A, Sideris M, Legood R Cancers (Basel). 2022; 14(23).

PMID: 36497314 PMC: 9736914. DOI: 10.3390/cancers14235832.

The Effect of Prophylactic Adnexectomy on the Quality of Life and Psychosocial Functioning of Women with the Mutations.

Stanisz M, Panczyk M, Kurzawa R, Grochans E Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019; 16(24).

PMID: 31818005 PMC: 6950418. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16244995.

Interventions to improve psychosocial well-being in female BRCA-mutation carriers following risk-reducing surgery.

Jeffers L, Reid J, Fitzsimons D, Morrison P, Dempster M Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019; 10:CD012894.

PMID: 31595976 PMC: 6784162. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012894.pub2.

Hormone Levels and Sexual Functioning After Risk-Reducing Salpingo-Oophorectomy.

Johansen N, Liavaag A, Morkrid L, Michelsen T Sex Med. 2018; 6(2):143-153.

PMID: 29631858 PMC: 5960032. DOI: 10.1016/j.esxm.2018.02.002.

References

Bellerose S, Binik Y . Body image and sexuality in oophorectomized women. Arch Sex Behav. 1993; 22(5):435-59. DOI: 10.1007/BF01542558. View

Barlow D . Causes of sexual dysfunction: the role of anxiety and cognitive interference. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1986; 54(2):140-8. DOI: 10.1037//0022-006x.54.2.140. View

Ganz P, Day R, Ware Jr J, Redmond C, Fisher B . Base-line quality-of-life assessment in the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project Breast Cancer Prevention Trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1995; 87(18):1372-82. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/87.18.1372. View

Sims K, Meana M . Why did passion wane? A qualitative study of married women's attributions for declines in sexual desire. J Sex Marital Ther. 2010; 36(4):360-80. DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2010.498727. View

Robson M, Hensley M, Barakat R, Brown C, Chi D, Poynor E . Quality of life in women at risk for ovarian cancer who have undergone risk-reducing oophorectomy. Gynecol Oncol. 2003; 89(2):281-7. DOI: 10.1016/s0090-8258(03)00072-6. View

Fang C, Cherry C, Devarajan K, Li T, Malick J, Daly M . A prospective study of quality of life among women undergoing risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy versus gynecologic screening for ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2009; 112(3):594-600. PMC: 2697574. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2008.11.039. View

McNulty J, Fisher T . Gender differences in response to sexual expectancies and changes in sexual frequency: a short-term longitudinal study of sexual satisfaction in newly married couples. Arch Sex Behav. 2007; 37(2):229-40. DOI: 10.1007/s10508-007-9176-1. View

Bradford A, Meston C . Sexual outcomes and satisfaction with hysterectomy: influence of patient education. J Sex Med. 2006; 4(1):106-114. PMC: 2857776. DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00384.x. View

Lodder L, Frets P, Trijsburg R, Meijers-Heijboer E, Klijn J, Seynaeve C . One year follow-up of women opting for presymptomatic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2: emotional impact of the test outcome and decisions on risk management (surveillance or prophylactic surgery). Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2002; 73(2):97-112. DOI: 10.1023/a:1015269620265. View

10.

Ware Jr J, Kosinski M, Bayliss M, McHorney C, Rogers W, Raczek A . Comparison of methods for the scoring and statistical analysis of SF-36 health profile and summary measures: summary of results from the Medical Outcomes Study. Med Care. 1995; 33(4 Suppl):AS264-79. View

11.

Michelsen T, Dorum A, Dahl A . A controlled study of mental distress and somatic complaints after risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in women at risk for hereditary breast ovarian cancer. Gynecol Oncol. 2009; 113(1):128-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.ygyno.2008.12.024. View

12.

Alfano C, McGregor B, Kuniyuki A, Reeve B, Bowen D, Baumgartner K . Psychometric properties of a tool for measuring hormone-related symptoms in breast cancer survivors. Psychooncology. 2006; 15(11):985-1000. PMC: 2996243. DOI: 10.1002/pon.1033. View

13.

Stephenson K, Meston C . Differentiating components of sexual well-being in women: are sexual satisfaction and sexual distress independent constructs?. J Sex Med. 2010; 7(7):2458-68. DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2010.01836.x. View

14.

Hallowell N, Baylock B, Heiniger L, Butow P, Patel D, Meiser B . Looking different, feeling different: women's reactions to risk-reducing breast and ovarian surgery. Fam Cancer. 2011; 11(2):215-24. DOI: 10.1007/s10689-011-9504-4. View

15.

Madalinska J, van Beurden M, Bleiker E, Valdimarsdottir H, Hollenstein J, Massuger L . The impact of hormone replacement therapy on menopausal symptoms in younger high-risk women after prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy. J Clin Oncol. 2006; 24(22):3576-82. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2005.05.1896. View

16.

Greendale G, Reboussin B, Hogan P, Barnabei V, Shumaker S, Johnson S . Symptom relief and side effects of postmenopausal hormones: results from the Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions Trial. Obstet Gynecol. 1998; 92(6):982-8. DOI: 10.1016/s0029-7844(98)00305-6. View

17.

Orme J, Reis J, Herz E . Factorial and discriminant validity of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. J Clin Psychol. 1986; 42(1):28-33. DOI: 10.1002/1097-4679(198601)42:1<28::aid-jclp2270420104>3.0.co;2-t. View

18.

van Oostrom I, Meijers-Heijboer H, Lodder L, Duivenvoorden H, Van Gool A, Seynaeve C . Long-term psychological impact of carrying a BRCA1/2 mutation and prophylactic surgery: a 5-year follow-up study. J Clin Oncol. 2003; 21(20):3867-74. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2003.10.100. View

19.

Rebbeck T, Kauff N, Domchek S . Meta-analysis of risk reduction estimates associated with risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009; 101(2):80-7. PMC: 2639318. DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djn442. View

20.

Murray M, Cerrato F, Bennett R, Jarvik G . Follow-up of carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants of unknown significance: variant reclassification and surgical decisions. Genet Med. 2011; 13(12):998-1005. DOI: 10.1097/GIM.0b013e318226fc15. View