Sexual disorders in women with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

This article is dealing with a problem of sexual disorders among women with diabetes mellitus type 1. Diabetes is a social disease and its prevalence is quite common. Angio- and neuropathy typical for diabetes patophysiology may explain sexual disorders in this population. Nevertheless, literature undertakes the topic of sexual disorders among men with diabetes decidedly more often than females with the same problem. Moreover, in the articles available it is a common practice to mix patients with type 1 and 2 diabetes despite differences between them. In a majority of papers FSFI was used. Sexual disorders of women with diabetes mellitus type 1 most often concern arousal, desire, orgasm and lubrication. It seems that in those women psychological factors such as depressiveness or relationship satisfaction play greater role than the number of diabetic complications. Current literature requires further research addressing such question as why some women suffering from diabetes mellitus type 1 do not undertake sexual activity at all. The question of sexual disorders in diabetes should be addressed in the contact with a medical doctor in order to create opinion among women that such symptoms may be an element of diabetes natural evolution, this fact is known to the specialists and that they can offer methods to improve sexual health in such cases.
Polish Sexology 2010; 8 (2): 71–75