Sexual Function in Levothyroxine-Treated Hypothyroid Women and Women without Hypothyroidism: A Case-Control

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health Vol. 17; no. 12; p. 4325
• Main Authors: Romero-Gómez, Benjamín, Guerrero-Alonso, Paula, Carmona-Torres, Juan Manuel, Laredo-Aguilera, José Alberto, Pozuelo-Carrascosa, Diana Patricia, Cobo-Cuenca, Ana Isabel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 17.06.2020; MDPI
• Subjects: Age; Arousal; Chemotherapy; Communication; Control methods; Domains; Gynecology; Hormones; Hypothyroidism; Medicine; Orgasm; Pain; Questionnaires; Sample size; Sexual behavior; Sexual orientation; Sexuality; Sociodemographics; Statistical analysis; Studies; Thyroid gland; Thyroid hormones; Thyroid-stimulating hormone; Thyroxine; Womens health; Spain
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17124325

Background: Levothyroxine is the most common treatment to normalize thyroid hormones levels and to reduce primary hypothyroidism symptoms. Aim: To assess sexual function in women with levothyroxine-treated hypothyroidism and women without hypothyroidism. Methods: A case-control study was performed with 152 women with levothyroxine-treated hypothyroidism and 238 women without hypothyroidism. An online survey was used to collect socio-demographic data and the answers to the Women Sexual Function (WSF) questionnaire. Results: Women with levothyroxine-treated hypothyroidism showed a higher prevalence of sexual dysfunction than women in the control group (31.60% vs. 16.40%), furthermore the presence of hypothyroidism increased the risk of sexual dysfunction (p = 0.002, OR: 2.29 (1.36−3.88)). The most affected domains were ‘desire’ (p < 0.001), ‘arousal’ (p = 0.003) and ‘penetration pain’ (p = 0.020). In hypothyroid women, age increased the risk of sexual dysfunctions (p = 0.009, OR: 1.07 (1.01−1.12)), however when age was adjusted (ANCOVA) the sexual dysfunction remained in women with hypothyroidism in all domains. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism is associated with an increase in the prevalence of sexual dysfunction even if treated with levothyroxine and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels are normalized. Relevance to clinical practice: Sexual function in hypothyroid women should be assessed before and after starting the treatment.