Patterns of female sexual dysfunction in premenopausal women with moderate to severe depression in Beni-Suef, Egypt

Background: Depression is a disease of public health concern due to its high morbidity and mortality. Female sexual dysfunction is suggested to be associated with depression. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of sexual disorders among premenopausal women with moderate to severe depression and detect any further correlates. Subjects and methods: A total of 98 women with moderate to severe depression and attending the outpatient clinic in Beni-Suef General hospital participated in this study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and obstetric data. Then, all patients were asked to fill in the Arabic versions of Beck Depression Inventory to detect their level of depression and Female Sexual Function Index to assess the patterns of their sexual dysfunction. Results: The mean age of the women was 32.1 ± 6.5 years. Of the 98 women, 50 (51%) had moderate depression and 48 (49%) had severe depression. Precisely, 77.6% of the women had sexual dysfunction. Dysfunctions in pain, lubrication and arousal were the most common reported problems 95.9%, 95.9% and 93.9%, respectively. Scores of depression inversely correlated with sexuality scores (p < 0.05). The studied socio-demographic characteristics and obstetric data showed no statistically significant association with female sexual dysfunction (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Problems in pain, lubrication and arousal were the most common patterns of sexual dysfunction in women with moderate to severe depression. Further research over the effect of certain interventional programs on female sexual dysfunction amongst depressed women should be considered.