Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Body image and sexuality in oophorectomized women

  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Five groups of women ages 35 to 55 years were studied, including a nonsurgical control group (CTL), a hysterectomy-only (HYS), and three oophorectomy groups: an untreated group (UNT), women on estrogen replacement therapy (EST), and women on androgen-estrogen replacement therapy (COM). The interview/questionnaire session assessed mood, body image, and sexual functioning. In a second session completed by 58 of 129 subjects (45%), a photoplethysmograph measured vaginal blood flow in response to an erotic stimulus while subjects concurrently monitored subjective arousal. Overall, the UNT and EST groups had significantly lower self-reported desire and arousal than the remaining three groups. Body image was significantly poorer in the UNT group. All surgical groups reported more sexual problems than the control group. Furthermore, about a third of the CTL group reported positive changes in body image and sexuality in the previous 5 years. This effect was attenuated in the HYS, COM, and EST groups and almost absent in the UNT group. No significant group differences were obtained, however, on mood or vaginal blood flow and subjective arousal to an erotic stimulus. The role of differential levels of testosterone on sexuality is discussed as well as its clinical implications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andersen, B. L. (1987). Sexual functioning complications in women with gynecologic cancer.Cancer 60: 2123–2128.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L., and Broffitt, B. (1988). Is there a reliable and valid self-report measure of sexual behavior.Arch. Sex. Behav. 17: 509–525.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, B. L. and Jochimsen, P. R. (1985). Sexual functioning among breast cancer, gynecologic cancer and healthy women.J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 53: 25–32.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J. (1984). Hormones and human sexual behavior.J. Sex Marital Ther. 10: 3–21.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bancroft, J., and Wu, F. C. (1983). Changes in erectile responsiveness during androgen replacement therapy.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 59–66.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bellerose, S., and Binik, Y. M. (1988). Body image and body comfort: A normative study. Unpublished data.

  • Berscheid, E., Walster, E., and Bohrnstedt, G. (1972). Body Image.Psychol. Today pp. 58–64.

  • Bohlen, J. G. (1980). A review of subject orientation in articles on sexual physiology research.J. Sex Res. 16: 43–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christenson, C. V., and Johnson, A. B. (1973). Sexual patterns in a group of older never-married women.J. Geriat. Psychiat. 6: 80–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coppen, A., Bishop, M., Beard, R. J., Barnard, C. J., and Collins, W. P. (1981). Hysterectomy, hormones and behavior.Lancet 1: 126–128.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Corporation Professionnelle des Médecins du Québec. (1988).Survey on the Health of Quebec Women Aged 45–54 Author, Montreal, Quebec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowne, D. P., and Marlowe, D. (1960). A new scale of social desirability independent of psychopathology.J. Consult. Psychol. 24: 349–354.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cutler, W. B., and Garcia, C. R. (1984).The Medical Management of Menopause and Premenopause: Their Endocrinologic Basis J. B. Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dean, C., Chetty, U., and Forrest, A. P. (1983). Effects of immediate breast reconstruction on psychosocial morbility after mastectomy.Lancet 1: 459–462.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Derogatis, L. R. (1975).DSFI: Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory Clinical Psychometric Research, Riderwood, MD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egeland, G. M., Matthews, K. A., Kuller, L. H., and Kelsey, S. F. (1988). Characteristics of noncontraceptive hormone users.Prevent. Med. 17: 403–411.

    Google Scholar 

  • George, L. K., and Weiler, S. J. (1981). Sexuality in middle and late life: Effects of age, cohort and gender.Arch. Gen. Psychiat. 38: 919–923.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, B., and Rich, B. A. (1986). In Buchsbaum, H. J. and Walton, L. A. (eds.),Strategies in Gynecologic Surgery Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 13–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallstrom, T. (1977). Sexuality in the climacteric.Clin. Obstet. Gynecol. 4: 227–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heiman, J. R. (1977). A psychophysiological exploration of sexual arousal patterns in females and males.Psychophysiology 14: 266–274.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson, B. E., Paganini-Hill, A., and Ross, R. K. (1988). Estrogen replacement therapy and protection from acute myocardial infarction.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 159: 312–317.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoon, E. F., Hoon, P. W., and Wincze, J. P. (1976). An inventory for the measurement of female sexual arousability: The SAI.Arch. Sex. Behav. 5: 291–300.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hoon, P. W., Bruce, K., and Kinchloe, B. (1982). Does the menstrual cycle play a role in sexual arousal?Psychophysiology 19: 21–26.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoon, P. W., Murphy, W. D., Laughter, J. S., and Abel, G. G. (1984). Infrared vaginal photoplethysmography: Construction, calibration, and sources of artifact.Behav. Assess. 6: 141–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hreshchyshyn, M. M., Hopkins, A., Zylstra, S., and Anbar, M. (1988). Effects of natural menopause, hysterectomy, and oophorectomy on lumbar spine and femoral neck bone densities.Obstet. Gynecol. 72: 631–638.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Janis, I., and Field, P. (1959). Sex differences and personality factors related to persuasibility. In Horland, C, and Janis, I. (eds.),Personality and Persuasibility. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilkku, P. (1983). Supravaginal uterine amputation vs. hysterectomy: Effects on coital frequency and dyspareunia.Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 62: 141–145.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kilkku, P., Gronroos, M., Hirvonen, T., and Rauramo, L. (1983). Supravaginal uterine amputation vs. hysterectomy: Effects on libido and orgasm.Acta Obst. Gynecol. Scand. 62: 147–152.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krouse, H. J., and Krouse, J. H. (1982). Cancer as crisis: The critical elements of adjustment.Nursing Res. 31: 96–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwan, M., Greenleaf, F., Mann, J., Crapo, L., and Davidson, J. M. (1983). The nature of androgen action on male sexuality: A combined laboratory-self-report study on hypogonadal men.J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 57: 557–562.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leiblum, S. R., Bachmann, G., Kemmann, E., Colburn, D., and Swartzman, L. (1983). Vaginal atrophy in the postmenopausal women.J. Am. Med. Assoc. 249: 2195–2198.

    Google Scholar 

  • Locke, H. J., and Wallace, K. M. (1959). Short marital-adjustment and prediction tests: Their reliability and validity.J. Marr. Fam. Living 21: 251–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorr, M., and McNair, D. (1982).Manual for the Profile of Mood States, Bipolar Form Educational and Industrial Testing Service, San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Masters, W. H., Johnson, V. E., Kolodny, R. C., and Weems, S. M. (eds.), (1978).Ethical Issues in Sex Therapy and Research, Vol. 2. Little, Brown, Boston, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKinlay, S. M., and McKinlay, J. B., (1984). Health status and health care utilization by menopausal women. In Mastoianni, L., and Paulsen, C. A. (eds.),Aging Reproduction and the Climacteric Plenum Press, New York, pp. 243–262.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meikle, S., Brody, H., and Pysh, F. (1977). An investigation into the psychological effects of hysterectomy.J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 164: 36–41.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. T., and Tolley, D. H. (1976). Depression following hysterectomy.Psychosomatics 17: 86–89.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morokoff, P. J. (1986). Volunteer bias in the psychophysiological study of female sexuality.J. Sex Res. 22: 35–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, L. S., & Morokoff, P. J. (1986). Physiological and subjective sexual arousal in pre- and postmenopausal women and postmenopausal women taking replacement therapy.Psychophysiology 23: 283–292.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, W. M. (1982). Development of reliable and valid short forms of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale.J. Clin. Psychol. 38: 119–126.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherwin, B. B. (1988). Affective changes with estrogen and androgen replacement therapy in surgically menopausal women.J. Affect. Disord. 14: 177–187.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherwin, B. B., and Gelfand, M. M. (1985). Sex steroids and affect in the surgical menopause: A double-blind, cross-over study.Psychoneuroendocrinology 10: 325–335.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherwin, B. B., and Gelfand, M. M. (1987). The role of androgen in the maintenance of sexual functioning in oophorectomized women.Psychosom. Med. 49: 397–409.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sherwin, B. B., Gelfand, M. M., and Brender, W. (1985). Androgen enhances sexual motivation in females: A prospective, crossover study of sex steroid administration in the surgical menopause.Psychosom. Med. 47: 330–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sintchak, G., and Geer, J. H. (1975). A vaginal plethysmograph system.Psychophysiology 12: 113–115.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vincent, C. E., Vincent, B., Greiss, F. C., and Linton, E. B. (1975). Some marital-sexual concomitants of carcinoma of the cervix.South. Med. J. 68: 552–558.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wolchik, S. A., Spencer, S. L., and Lisi, I. S. (1983). Volunteer bias in research employing vaginal measures of sexual arousal.Arch. Sex. Behav. 12: 399–408.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zussman, L., Zussman, S., Sunley, R., and Bjornson, E. (1981). Sexual response after hysterectomy-oophorectomy: Recent studies and reconsideration of psychogenesis.Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 140: 725–729.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, McGill University, Stewart Biology Building, 1205 Dr. Penfield Avenue, H3A 1B1, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

    Satya B. Bellerose Ph.D. & Yitzchak M. Binik Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Satya B. Bellerose Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yitzchak M. Binik Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was conducted as part of the first author's Ph.D. thesis requirement under the direction of the second author at McGill University and was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada (Studentship), Fonds pour la Formation de Chercheurs et l'Aide à la Recherche, and McGill Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research-Social Science Research Grant. Dr. Bellerose is currently at the Douglas Hospital in Verdun, Quebec.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bellerose, S.B., Binik, Y.M. Body image and sexuality in oophorectomized women. Arch Sex Behav 22, 435–459 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542558

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01542558

Key words

Search

Navigation