News from NAMS 2018: Interferential current relieves dyspareunia in women with Premature ovarian insufficiency

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Women who have premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) face an array of problems including infertility, an early risk of a CVD event, vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and painful sexual intercourse due to insufficient estrogen levels. Dyspareunia is still reported while on HRT and limits the ability to enjoy sex and achieve orgasm.

Vaginal estriol cream is the most commonly prescribed treatment to increase lubrication and relieve the symptoms associated with estrogen deficit.

A new form of treatment with the help of Interferential current now offers hope by improving lubrication; thereby, reducing pain and increased the frequency of satisfying sexual encounters.

Researchers from the University of Campinas, commonly called Unicamp, in São Paulo, Brazil recruited women between the ages of 18 and 50 with POI and taking HRT for this small RCT. Initially, 80 women were selected out of which 35 included in the study. The women were asked to fill out a sexual function questionnaire (FSFI) and randomized to receive either Interferential current (IC) compared to topical estrogen cream (E).

IC group received electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor, in a total of 8 sessions of 20 minutes each for a month. Women in the E group used .5mg of topical estrogen per day for four weeks.

The researchers looked at improvements in lubrication and sexual function score, and relief from pain during physical intimacy. Data analysis showed that while lubrication and dyspareunia improved significantly in both the groups, there was not much improvement in the FSFI scale for women on local estrogen therapy.

However, there was a significant improvement in pre and post-intervention FSFI scores among women who received interferential current therapy (p=0.0004). These women also reported a significant improvement in sexual satisfaction and frequency of orgasm thus enabling the increase in sexual activity.

“We were encouraged with these results as they reveal a new alternative for the treatment of sexual complaints,” says Dr. Helena Giraldo, lead author of the study.

“Although this was a small study, it opens the door for further research that will help identify more options for women to help improve their overall quality of life by making their sexual experience more enjoyable,” says Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, NAMS executive director.

The study was also presented at the 18th World Congress of Gynecological Endocrinology in Florence, Italy.

Abstract S-17

NAMS press release 

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