Menopause: Relationship between climacteric symptoms and sexual satisfaction

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate depression and anxiety levels, climacteric symptoms and sexual satisfaction in naturally occurred and surgically induced postmenopausal women and also the effects of symptoms on the sexual satisfaction. Method: Fifty women (32 natural menopauses and 18 surgical menopauses) attended to this study in Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pamukkale University. Psychological outcome was measured by using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Green Climacteric Symptom Scale (GKS) and Golombock Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction (GRISS). Findings: This majority of the group were housewives living in urban parts, and from primary school level of education. HAM-D (7.74(5.70) and HAM-A (14.26(10.16) scores showed that these women suffered from mild depression and anxiety symptoms. Most of the climacteric symptoms were difficulties in concentrating (n:36 72%), feeling tense or nervous (n:31 62%), feeling tired or lacking in energy (n:30 60%); feeling unhappy (n:30 60%); crying spells (n:26 52%), loss of interest in things (n:29 58%), irritability (n:27 54%), hot flashes (n:32 64%), night sweats (n:27 54%), and decrease in sexual desire (n:34 68%). We found a negative correlation between education levels, climacteric symptoms and anorgasmia, sensuality, avoidance scores of GRISS (p<0.05). We found a positive correlation between menopause period and sexual dissatisfaction (p<0.05). Climacteric symptoms may effects in sexual satisfaction negatively (p<0.05). Natural and surgical menopause groups did not differ in HAM-D, HAM-A, GKS and GRISS (p>0.05). Discussion and Conclusion: This study suggested that menopause associated with mild level anxiety and depressive symptoms may lead to sexual dissatisfaction which was related with educational levels. Psychological symptoms were common but mild in our group. Climacteric symptoms affected sexual satisfaction negatively especially in psychological parameters.