SEXUAL DYSFUNCTIONS IN PERIMENOPAUSAL WOMEN Review Article
Raeesa Abdel-Tawab Mohamed
Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Objective: To review the diagnosis and management of sexual dysfunctions during perimenopause. Data sources: Published articles identified through MEDLINE using the search terms sexual problems during perimenopause; diagnosis and management. Additional articles and books were identified from the bibliographies of the retrieved articles. Data synthesis: The perimenopause is the transition period from normal ovulatory cycles to actual menopause. It is associated with thumping fluctuations in reproductive hormone levels, often leading to irregular menstrual cycles, vasomotor symptoms, changes in mood or cognition, and sexual dysfunction. Low-dose oral contraceptives and other hormone replacement therapies (HRTs) are often effective in managing perimenopausal sexual dysfunctions. Conclusion: The transition to menopause is an important time in the female life span that is associated with varied physical, sexual and psychological problems. Physicians and pharmacists should be prepared to provide education about the perimenopause and counsel women on the benefits and risks of various pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments that can ease their passage through this often difficult transition.
December 2015