Bariatric Surgery Can Resolve Female Sexual Dysfunction
Posted: Jul 10 in Health Issues by Staff
Morbidly obese women suffering from Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) who undergo bariatric surgery, whether Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding or Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery, can experience significant improvement in all aspects of their sexual function as quickly as six months after the procedure, according to recent research.
FSD is an actual complex medical condition that can adversely affect women’s health and quality of life. It is estimated that as high as 43% of all women experience some level of sexual dysfunction as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), due to age, estrogen levels, obesity, diabetes, or high blood pressure. Morbidly obese women, defined as being 75-100 or more pounds overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, are more likely to experience a more severe case of FSD than the general female population.
In the study conducted by researchers from The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, almost 70% of women with FSD experienced a complete elimination of the dysfunction. Almost all women had significant improvements in desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and the amount of pain during intercourse. Dale Bond, Ph.D., the co-author of the study, explains that while the dramatic improvement in sexual function after any type of bariatric surgery is related to significant weight loss, “… further research is needed to determine the extent to which improvements in body image, obesity-related diseases, hormonal mechanisms, and emotional health contribute to better sexual functioning.”