Introduction: The availability of alternative therapies of abnormal gynecologic bleeding has prompted a reexamination of the impact of hysterectomy on a woman’s quality of life. This paper examines the evidence about the impact of hysterectomy on quality of life and sexual function.
Methods: Electronic searching of English language literature was conducted using the search terms: sexuality, sexual satisfaction, sexual function, hysterectomy, sexual desire and orgasm in PubMed, EMBASE, Science Direct and Scopus. Additional papers found in the bibliographies of these papers were also reviewed. 23 studies were found: 11 prospective, 5 retrospective and 7 RCT. With few exceptions, the methodologic quality of the studies was poor, but we continued to review all of the studies given the paucity of data on this important subject.
Results: The studies were evaluated for methodologic quality using a scoring system described in the paper. Outcome measures were usually not validated and most studies did not consider important confounding factors. Most studies in this review showed either no change or an enhancement of sexuality in women who had undergone hysterectomy.
Conclusion: The majority of researches evaluating the effect of hysterectomy on sexual function were poorly designed. The available evidence showed that quality of life is improved for most women who had hysterectomy and that hysterectomy did not adversely affect sexual function. A number of confounding factors with the potential positive or negative impact on sexual function, independent of hysterectomy, should be taken into account in future studies.