How Does Diabetes Affect A Woman's Orgasms?

Dr. Betsy Dokken answers the question: 'Does Diabetes Affect A Woman's Orgasms?'

ByABC News
November 2, 2007, 5:07 PM

— -- Question: How does diabetes affect a woman's orgasms?

Answer: For most of us, sex is an important part of our most intimate relationships, and, for women with diabetes, sometimes sexual issues can come up. One reason is that the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the sexual response, and this is a part of the nervous system that can be detrimentally affected by diabetes and, particularly, by poorly controlled diabetes.

So, the stages of the sexual response -- arousal, lubrication, and orgasm -- can all be dampened by problems with the autonomic nervous system, which can be a form of diabetic neuropathy. So, for this reason, again, improved glycemic control, or improved blood sugar control, and there are some treatments that can help women with sexual dysfunction. And so women who are experiencing these problems should talk to their primary care provider or their gynecologist for tips on how to improve these symptoms.

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