Health-Related Quality of Life, Sexuality and Hormone Status after Laparoscopic Roux-En-Y Gastric Bypass in Women

• Published in: Obesity surgery 2020-02, Vol.30 (2), p.493-500
• Main Authors: Paul, Rebecca, Andersson, Ellen, Wirén, Mikael, Frisk, Jessica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Female; Follicle Stimulating Hormone - blood; Gastric Bypass - methods; Gastric Bypass - rehabilitation; Gastrointestinal surgery; Gonadal Steroid Hormones - blood; Health Status; Hormones; Humans; Laparoscopy; Laparoscopy - methods; Laparoscopy - rehabilitation; Luteinizing Hormone - blood; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Obesity, Morbid - blood; Obesity, Morbid - rehabilitation; Obesity, Morbid - surgery; Original Contributions; Progesterone - blood; Quality of life; Quality of Life - psychology; Questionnaires; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin - analysis; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexuality - physiology; Sexuality - psychology; Surgery; Surveys and Questionnaires; Testosterone; Testosterone - blood; Well being; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0960-8923; 1708-0428; 1708-0428
• DOI: 10.1007/s11695-019-04197-5

Objective Few studies have been carried out concerning the influence of bariatric surgery on female sexuality and hormones, particularly utilizing hormone-based questionnaires. The effect of bariatric surgery on sex hormone levels, sexual function and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in women was analyzed in this study. Participants were included in a single-center study at a regional hospital in Sweden, with a duration of one-year follow-up. Methods One hundred non-smoking women, undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, were included in the study. Blood assay for sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) was analyzed. Participants completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Psychological General Well-being Inventory (PGWB) parallel to lab testing. Results At one-year follow-up, several significant results were found concerning hormones and questionnaires. Testosterone decreased and SHBG increased, N  = 68/100. Desire, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction and total score domains for the FSFI increased after one year, N  = 53/100. WHQ domains concerning depressed mood, somatic symptoms, memory, anxiety, sexual behavior and attractiveness improved after one year, N  = 47/100. All domains in the PGWB ( N  = 52), including anxiety, depressed mood, positive well-being, self-control, general health, vitality and total score improved at follow-up. Spearman’s Rho coefficient analysis found correlation between testosterone/WHQ-sexual problems (0.3), SHBG/WHQ-general health (0.3) and SHBG/FSFI-arousal (−0.3). Conclusions Bariatric surgery normalizes levels of sex-hormones in women, and results in improved sexual function, health-related quality of life and psychological well-being.