Elsevier

Fertility and Sterility

Volume 104, Issue 3, September 2015, Pages 715-723.e4
Fertility and Sterility

Original article
Effect of long-term intranasal oxytocin on sexual dysfunction in premenopausal and postmenopausal women: a randomized trial

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.06.010Get rights and content
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Objective

To assess the effect of on-demand intranasal oxytocin administration on female sexual function and activity.

Design

Randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial with duration of 22 weeks.

Setting

Academic medical center.

Patient(s)

Thirty pre-and postmenopausal women with sexual dysfunction.

Intervention(s)

Over 8 weeks, intranasal oxytocin (32 IU) or placebo self-administered by women within 50 minutes before sexual intercourse; after a washout period of 2 weeks, crossover with patients switched to the alternate group for another 8 weeks.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Primary outcome parameter: Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI); secondary outcome parameters: Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), Sexual Quality of Life–Female (SQOL-F), Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory–Female (SIDI-F), and Hamilton depression scale (HDS).

Result(s)

After oxytocin and placebo, the FSFI score increased by 26% and 31%, SQOL-F score by 144% and 125%, and SIDI-F score by 29% and 23%, respectively (repeated measures analysis of variance between groups). After oxytocin and placebo, the FSDS score decreased by 36% and 45%, respectively (repeated measures analysis of variance between groups). There was no statistically significant treatment, sequence (placebo first/second), or interaction effect.

Conclusion(s)

Long-term intranasal oxytocin and placebo administration both improved sexual function and symptoms of depression in women over time with no treatment, sequence (placebo first/second), or interaction effect.

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT02229721.

Key Words

Depression
female sexual dysfunction
orgasm
oxytocin
placebo

Cited by (0)

D.A.M. has nothing to disclose. M.W. has nothing to disclose. R.M. has nothing to disclose. S.S.R. has nothing to disclose. M.S. has nothing to disclose. C.F. has nothing to disclose. A.L. has nothing to disclose. E.B. has nothing to disclose. B.L. has nothing to disclose. M.B.-E. has received a grant from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce.

Supported by a research grant from the Austrian Chamber of Commerce in 2013.