REVIEW  FEMALE SEXUALITY IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: A JOURNEY ALONG A WOMAN’S LIFE 

Minerva Obstetrics and Gynecology 2022 June;74(3):249-60

DOI: 10.23736/S2724-606X.22.04966-1

Copyright © 2022 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Female sexual dysfunctions: an overview on the available therapeutic interventions

Lucia A. da SILVA LARA ¹ ✉, Andrea C. RUFINO ², Flávia F. OLIVEIRA ³, Serena ROSSATO ¹, Charles S. BORGES ¹, Rosana M. REIS ¹

¹ Reproduction Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; ² Faculty of Medicine, State University of Piauí, Piauí, NE, Brazil; ³ Endometriosis Sector, Faculty of Medicine, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil

INTRODUCTION: There are different types of female sexual dysfunctions (FSDs), and FSD in general has a high prevalence worldwide. Studies of FSD should consider it as a multifactorial disorder that has biological, psychological, environmental, and relational aspects. In this review we discuss the available therapeutic interventions for FSD.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: For the current narrative review the PubMed database was searched to identify all publications up to 30 March 2021 that were systematic reviews and meta-analyses which examined therapeutic interventions for FSDs based on the diagnostic classifications of ICD-10 and ICD-11.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Thirty systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in this review. Hormone therapy (HT) and testosterone are effective to improve sexual desire in menopausal women. In these women HT and ospemiphene may improve pain during intercourse. Flibanserin may improve sexual desire and may reduce desire-related distress in premenopausal women. Bremelanotide is effective to improve desire, arousal, and orgasm scores. Evidence are still limited on the efficacy of psychoactive drugs, phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), oxytocin, herbal drugs, and tibolone to treat FSDs. Psychological interventions such as cognitive-behavior therapy, mindfulness training, sensate focus, bibliotherapy are effective for the management of several different FSDs.
CONCLUSIONS: The management of FSDs may require multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches. Pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions appears to have potential as a treatment for FSDs, but there are currently no gold standards regarding recommended treatment modalities, and the duration, frequency, and intensity of therapy sessions.

KEY WORDS: Sexual dysfunctions, psychological; Therapeutics; Hormone replacement therapy