Background: Sexual dysfunction (SD) in women with diabetes is a multifaceted complication driven by hormonal, neuropathic and psychosocial factors. It has been reported that the prevalence of SD is higher in women with type 1 diabetes compared to both women with type 2 diabetes and women without diabetes. However, prevalence estimates of SD in women with type 1 diabetes are variable, due to the heterogeneity of the conducted studies and the various confounding factors that are associated with SD.
Aim: This review aimed to estimate the prevalence of SD in premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes compared to women without diabetes; consider current methods for measuring SD; and identify factors associated with SD in women with type 1 diabetes.
Method: A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Four electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO) were searched between 15 March and 29 April 2022, the search was updated on 4 February 2023 to identify studies that assessed SD in women with type 1 diabetes.
Findings: The search yielded in 1104 articles; of these, 180 were assessed for eligibility. A meta-analysis of eight eligible studies revealed that the odds of experiencing SD is three times higher in women with type 1 diabetes compared to women without diabetes (OR = 3.8 95%CI 1.8-8.0, p < 0.001). The most commonly used measure of SD was the female sexual function index (FSFI); in three studies, this was combined with the female sexual distress scale (FSDS). Factors that have shown significant association with SD are depression, anxiety and duration of diabetes.
Conclusion: This review has shown that SD is a significant issue for women with type 1 diabetes. These findings should encourage diabetes professionals and policymakers to give more attention to female SD (FSD) by incorporating it into care pathways and clinical guidelines.
Keywords: diabetes; sexual dysfunction; women health.
© 2023 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Diabetes UK.