Altered sexual health and quality of life in women prior to hematopoietic cell transplantation.

The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study is to define sexual dysfunction and menopausal symptoms in women following cytotoxic or immunosuppressive medication for the treatment of malignant or life-threatening hematolymphoid diseases. These women were preparing to undergo hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) as the next step in their treatment plan. It is assumed that sexual dysfunction and symptoms of premature menopause are more pronounced post-HCT due to the intensity of the preparative regimen on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This study included 48 pre-menopausal women and 28 spouses/partners. Data were collected using five self-report instruments (demographic and medical, the Female Sexual Function Index, the Menopause-specific Quality of Life, the Psychosocial Adaptation to Illness Scale, and a global quality of life score). The main research variables were female sexual functioning, symptoms of menopause, and quality of life. The findings indicate that 73% of women report decreased libido and 48% report dissatisfaction with their overall sex life. Hot flashes, the most common symptom of menopause are reported by 46% and 27% report the hot flashes moderate to severe in intensity. Vaginal dryness was reported by 35% with 23% reporting the vaginal dryness to be moderate to severe. The mean quality of life (QOL) score in women was 69+/-25 with a range of 2-100 (on a scale of 0-100 with 100 being an excellent QOL). The findings indicate that women treated with standard dose chemotherapy and immunosuppressive therapy for malignant and life-threatening hematolymphoid diseases experience alterations in sexual health and symptoms of premature menopause. The results show that the desire, arousal, and orgasm phase of the sexual response cycle are altered. Additionally, nearly half of the women are experiencing hot flashes, the most common symptom of menopause and over a third report vaginal dryness. There are statistically significant correlations between altered sexual health, menopausal symptoms, and QOL scores.