title: Female sexual function and gestational diabetes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The number of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is growing worldwide in parallel with the obesity epidemic. The diagnosis of GDM leads to substantial modifications in the daily routine of these women, and these adjustments could potentially affect their sexual function. There are no previous studies on the sexual function of patients with GDM.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the sexual function of patients with GDM in comparison with healthy pregnant women at the same gestational age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brazilian women in the third trimester of pregnancy with and without GDM were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study while waiting for their antenatal care visits at a single public tertiary teaching institution between March and December 2010. The Brazilian version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire was used to assess sexual function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain during and after coitus in the last 4 weeks, measured according to a standardized and validated questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 87 participants were enrolled (43 healthy women and 44 with GDM). There were no significant differences in the sociodemographic characteristics of both groups. The total FSFI scores of GDM patients was 21.0±9.59 compared with 22.3±9.17 for healthy women (P=0.523). Difficulty in desire was the most common sexual dysfunction symptom in both groups, being reported by 42% and 50% of GDM and healthy women, respectively (P=0.585).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The sexual function of Brazilian patients with GDM does not differ significantly from that of healthy pregnant women at the same gestational age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil. ribeiro.meire@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Meireluci Costa
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Mary Uchiyama
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Marco de Tubino
authors.initials: Mde T
authors.lastname: Scanavino
authors.forename: Maria Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Torloni
authors.forename: Rosiane
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mattar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*