[Sexuality evaluation in women submitted to hysterectomy for the treatment of uterine leiomyoma].

PURPOSE To evaluate the impact of hysterectomy on the sexuality of women with uterine leiomyoma. METHODS Prospective study including 33 sexually active women, with ages from 35 to 50 years old, with orgasmic experience and with a fit stable partner. All the women were submitted to two instruments for the evaluation or their sexuality: Sexual Quotient - Female Version (SQF) and Sexual Satisfaction Inventory - Female Version (SSIF). Both instruments were applied by the same examiner, before and six months after the hysterectomy. RESULTS The SQF has shown that 39.4% of the patients presented deterioration in the sexual intercourse, even though there has not been found an association between the SQF results before and after hysterectomy (chi2= 0.6; degree of freedom=12; p=0.05). The mean scores obtained after the application of the SSIF have shown significant deterioration in the following parameters: sexual satisfaction (p=0.03); expression of feminine sensuality (p=0.01); vaginismus/dyspareunia (p=0.02) and an orgasmia (p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS It seems that hysterectomy has a negative impact on women's sexual life, with reports of decreased libido, arousal and orgasmic capacity.